Tale of Lust
by Ryu Reikai-Akuma
Summary: A page. A businessman. A police officer. Fate decided to entwine their lives and now they're tangled in a web of compassion and lust. AU, Yaoi
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Shinomori Aoshi was never the type of man who liked crowd or to be in one. Yet he often found himself being the center of people's attention as he easily stood out in a crowd with his natural grace and charisma. Being the first and only son of a respectable family in Kyoto, he had been taught all his life how to behave around and among people of every class and more importantly how to stand out in the sea of people so that they would pay immediate attention to him.

Still, he detested it with passion. He would rather stay in either his family's private shrine or his study than to attend a pointless party. He found tea ceremony and painting far more interesting than having a party or going to one. People often found his idea's of 'fun', odd and told him so. After all how could a dull and deathly boring ceremony be more interesting than a laughter-filled party? He never bothered to explain, though, and no one expect him to do it instead of hiding in the quietness of his room.

Which was what he sorely tempted to do now. He didn't know how Ogina and Misao managed to talk him into it but he now found himself in the annual summer festival. It's something he deserved after dealing with many customers, rival merchants and delayed shipment during winter and spring. But that was according to Misao. He still firmly believed the only reward he deserved was to be left alone in his study until the next shipment of goods arrived from Tokyo.

He glanced around him. It seemed like everyone in Kyoto decided to go out and celebrated the coming of the long-awaited season. People littered the streets everywhere in the city, their excitements filling the air. Constant streams of people and the colorful yukata they wore for the occasion around him making Aoshi felt as if he was lost in the sea of color he clearly didn't belong with.

He glared at Misao with light annoyance and desperation but the young girl was oblivious to it. She was busy skipping happily from one game stall to another, Ogina followed closely behind; ogling at some young girls he passed.

Intense jade eyes softened lightly at the sight of these two's obvious happiness. They were the closest things for a family for him especially after the death of his late parents, and even long before it. Misao, also an orphan, was his cousin and had stayed with him ever since his teenage years. She had become a sister to him yet he noticed that lately Misao had view herself as something like Aoshi's future bride. The tall man had no intention of neither making the young girl's wistful dream come true nor to hurt her by rejecting her, thus he remained silent. Ogina, on the other hand, had stayed with his family for as long as he remembered. He had been a mentor for Shinomoris' heirs for years and Aoshi's only role model of a real parent. If not for these two he knew the large manor he lived in would've been dull.

He sighed to himself softly. Misao didn't seem to be inclined to leave the game stalls any time soon and he was already tired and dizzy from all the noise and color around him. After a moment of consideration, he slowly walked away from his companions to find a place less crowded.

His feet led him to the quiet riverbanks. Carefully, as to not stain his dark blue yukata he went to sit on the riverside. Grass blades tickled his ankles and fireflies surrounded him as he settled comfortably on the soft earth. He let out a long-suffering sigh as he gazed up to the starry summer sky. So much for having fun in the festival. Briefly, an absurd thought entered his mind as he envied the distant stars for their peace, something he couldn't possibly have with the entire racket going on around him.

A soft chuckle made him turn his head; light frown marred his handsome feature at the disturbance. Yet as soon as he turned his head from the lovely night sky, he found himself captivated by a sight prettier than the stars. His annoyance melted into entrancement as he took in the view before him.

A few feet from him, a boy sat. One of his legs drawn up but the other stretched so that his toes touched the surface of the dark water. This position made the pale blue yukata the boy wore fell down to expose stretched slender leg. The boy's hand rose to playfully try to touch the fireflies surrounding him. His other hand supported his weight behind him. A soft sweet smile was on his full lips as the fireflies evade his fingers. With dark yet starry night sky as the background the boy seemed almost surreal and Aoshi felt his heart beat faster with sudden thrill and excitement.

Jade eyes followed the boy's movements as he lied down on his back onto the grass. The collar of the leave-printed yukata that rode a little low on the boy's shoulder went even lower to show long graceful neck and a patch of creamy flat chest. Aoshi felt his body responded to the sight and he couldn't tear his eyes away from it. He ran his eyes down the boy's lithe body from the pale neck to the half exposed leg. His throat went dry as his eyes reached the slender leg.

He forced his eyes to lift and meet the boy's curious yet smiling eyes when he felt them on him. For a moment they said nothing to each other.

"Oyasumi." The boy greeted politely with a light bow of his head.

"Oyasumi nasai." Aoshi replied softly. He averted his eyes to the now-seemingly distant crowd. From the corner of his eyes he watched as the boy amused himself with the fireflies and disrupting the calm water's surface. Aoshi never knew he could be so tense yet calm at the same time before he laid his eyes on this beautiful boy.

"Soujiro! Where have you been all this time? Yumi-san is looking for you!" A woman yelled from the street near the riverbank. Aoshi's light displeasure was pushed aside as he saw the boy got up to his knees from the corner of his eyes.

"Ritsuko-san! Gomen, I completely lost track of time. Matte kudasai." The boy got up and wipe grass blades from the back of his yukata, adjusted it to cover his previously exposed thigh –something which Aoshi regretted-, and put on his forgotten sandals. When he was presentable he bowed down to Aoshi with an apologetic smile before running to the waiting woman.

Aoshi's eyes followed him until the pair disappeared from his sight. Soujiro. It was a name he would never forget.

* * *

"Where have you been? How's the festival, bouya?" Yumi absentmindedly asked the smiling boy before him.

Soujiro paused in his way to put down the cakes he bought for Yumi onto the table. His eyes completely closed and his head tilted to the side in contemplation. "It's great! I think it's even more crowded than last year. There were some gaijins there, too."

Yumi didn't seen to pay attention, though. She only nodded as she gazed through the open shobi to the quiet garden. Though the house they resided in was not that far from downtown Kyoto, the garden was almost deathly quiet save for the occasional sound of stirring pond water. The large contrast from the noisy and crowded festival to the silent house made it difficult for Soujiro to believe that just outside the house was one of the country's biggest festivals. It's almost seemed like he had entered a completely different dimension.

A glance at Yumi told him everything. Now he knew why Shishio-san told him to stay at Yumi-san's house today. It wasn't as if he hadn't had any suspicion; after all he was his page. He was almost constantly with Shishio-san and thus he had seen this coming. He knew Shishio-san had a business meeting he must attend tonight. It was a party to celebrate both the coming of the beautiful season and the successful deal of the past year. Soujiro also knew that there would be a discussion concerning a rival and soon-to-be partner merchant. It was the exact reason why he couldn't come to celebrate the festival with Yumi-san nor take Yumi-san to party with him.

Shishio-san had expected Soujiro to entertain Yumi-san in his absence. But Soujiro had absolutely no clue as of what to do. The only form of entertainment he knew and was capable of doing is story telling, or perhaps he should call it story babbling. Yet he wasn't sure Yumi-san would want him to explain at length about the festival she had always attended every time it was held in town. Surely Yumi-san would want to hear something more interesting and profound. Or perhaps he should pour her some sake? Besides he really had nothing to speak of the festival for there weren't many things new. The only thing that truly caught his attention was the scene that took place in the riverbank earlier. The man he had had the opportunity of meeting had printed an image in his head. The look on the man's eyes had been particularly intent. He almost thought the man was going to devour him with those blue-green orbs. He never had anyone looking at him like that- in fact he was used to having people not seeing him at all. But should he speak to Yumi-san about the way this stranger looked at him? It'd probably get the woman laughing, but would it entertain her long enough?

He watched Yumi-san through closed eyes, considering this option. Giving sake to Yumi-san while she was at this state only meant getting her drunk. He knew Shishio-san wouldn't be pleased to see it and he would probably get a punishment for it. Not that Shishio-san would see that, really. He knew Shishio-san wouldn't return until around midnight, and thus he would surely return to his own home instead of his mistress's. And when Shishio-san came to Yumi-san's house the next day Yumi-san would already be sober enough he couldn't tell she was drunk last night. Right?

Still, Soujiro wouldn't risk his being punished. He considered his other options quietly. It wasn't like he had any other really. Ever since he was taken as Shishio-san's page all that he was taught to do were pouring tea and sake and running errands. It was at times like this he wished he were taught more. Maybe learning ikebana and some cha-no-yu would be interesting and useful.

"Ne, bouya." Yumi-san suddenly called. Soujiro perked his head up and looked at Yumi-san questioningly. "Bring me some sake, will you."

The boy weren't sure whether to feel relieved or worried about the request. "Are you sure, Yumi-san? You know Shishio-san doesn't like to see you drunk."

The beautiful woman gave Soujiro a look at which Soujiro bowed in apology. He lifted to his feet gracefully and left the room to retrieve some sake, his earlier thoughts pushed to the back of his mind, keeping in mind to ask Shishio about this matter.

* * *

Aoshi looked out of the window as he set his quills down. He had locked himself in his room with the intention of writing something. He had thought of writing haiku as he had preserved a book especially for this particular kind of poem. Yet all ideas that had flooded his mind while he was in his office, signing papers of deals among other things, suddenly disappeared and all attempt to recall them proved useless.

Then he had thought of painting. Although painting wasn't his strong point, he had learnt to do it in his younger years. And though he wasn't a great artist, his skill was quite plausible. But he couldn't think of anything to paint. The garden visible from his room, which usually became a model for his paintings, he had found uninteresting. So he had stayed in his room in silence, pondering an object to write or paint.

All thoughts, interestingly enough, centered to a certain point. Rivers and light blue yukata seemed to dominate his mind as of lately. He even began to visit the town more often in hopes of finding the source of his new infatuation.

Misao was delighted at this new development. The girl of course found this change exciting as she could spend her time to do two of her favorite things at once: being with Aoshi and sightseeing in the town. The young man idly wondered if she'd keep her delight when she found the true purpose of Aoshi's new habit.

It had surprised him when he realized how calm he was at accepting his obsession with the boy he met only once. Perhaps he had known it all along and had been waiting for this to happen. He had known that he wasn't interested in any girls Ogina had introduced to him in his desperate attempt to provide the family an heir. No matter how many kinds of girls Ogina brought, none could catch even a small amount of his interest. And indeed there were many that the old man introduced to him, ranging from quiet, modest girl to flirty young ladies, Ogina even had the audacity to bring him a thirteen year-old and –at different time- a woman who smelled of cheap sake then. Yet all he felt for them were respect and light annoyance when the girl was bold enough to openly seduce him. The most things he could feel for a girl was the feeling he had for Misao, which was a brotherly affection.

So this revelation that he was attracted to a boy didn't shock him at all. His only concerns were about his 'family' (who only consisted of Ogina and Misao) who was of course expecting an heir from him soon. He was well in his mid twenties and he hadn't even touched a girl the family presented him. Being the sole heir, for his only competitor was Misao, had its own advantages and down points. The advantages were, for one, he didn't have to worry about any member of the family competing with him for the position as the owner of the company. Misao was completely content with being a normal girl and had no wish whatsoever to take his place.

The down point, however, was the constant demand for an heir. Because despite his different preference, he had spent most of his childhood constantly reminded to his responsibility to provide an heir. So although he had the least intention of doing so, he knew he would feel burdened by the guilt for he was, after all, a responsible man.

So, what was a man to do?

Aoshi left his room quietly. Returning to his work would be the only option he had. Well, he could also go to the town, torturing himself with the hope of meeting the boy again. It seemed almost funny how he always stopped to have a look every time he heard a name resembling the boy's or saw boys who resembled him or wear a kimono with the same shade of blue.

But then again, he would have a business meeting with Shishio-san, a fellow merchant, the next day. It would better for the young man to prepare all he could for the meeting. Perhaps after this he would finally get his mind to focus on his work instead of the memory of the lean, smooth, creamy thighs.

* * *

A cloud of smoke hung thickly in the spacious room that was police inspector's office. Saito hadn't bothered to open the window when he began to smoke. Perhaps it's a form of revenge in his part because he had been told to wait for this police chief for two long hours when it was actually the chief's own order to come to his office. And two hours with no form of entertainment at all –unless you call drinking tea entertainment- only meant invitation to sate his carving for nicotine. Although he had tried to forego this bad habit at work, this kind of situation called for a special exception.

The tall man inhaled the nicotine into his lungs, feeling heat spread throughout his body and exhaled. He glanced at the closed window on the other side of the room, behind an oak table. The last policeman that came in to ask if he needed anything almost couldn't choke the question out. Perhaps he really had to open the window and breath some fresh air after all. Besides, he had heard the smoking too many of the thin sticks could lead to a severe illness.

Making up his mind, he strolled towards the windows and opened open one of them -he had been kept waiting for two hours anyway. Flicking his cigarette's ash onto the ground below, he glanced at the busy street in front of the police station. Nothing special there, just people hurrying to get to their destination or yelling advertisements to visit a certain shop nearby. Saito glanced back into the room to a western clock. It's two and a half hour now and Kawachi was terribly late.

Quietly, Saito wondered if he should've returned to his boring paperwork instead of waiting for his chief here. Or he could try to solve a case recently given to him. It was a major case, really, so unsolvable that the chief finally dumped it to him. The case was called Sawagejo Chou, an ex-gangster by the way he talked and acted. Saito didn't know how someone like this young punk could join police force and he didn't care. But this kind of case happened quite often; a criminal asked to join police with freedom as a reward, so Saito didn't mind having him in his team, besides this Chou was a good informant and a very resourceful person.

The blonde's resourcefulness was proven the third day he joined Saito's team when he teasingly and thankfully discreetly asked if Saito would join him to a certain red light district which mainly served men not interested in the opposite sex. Saito had coolly rejected the idea but not the implied observation. He didn't feel like he need to because he knew Chou wouldn't have believed him. He wasn't the straightest man alive. So what? Besides it was quite obvious that Chou wasn't only attracted to opposite sex only. They had their own secrets to keep and Saito was confident Chou wouldn't reveal his to anyone.

A horse carriage entered the police station and Saito knew it was too late to go anywhere. Apparently his musings had killed a good amount of time. The lanky man closed the window –the room already slightly fresher than before- and returned to his previous post. He leaned on the wall, the table to his left and the door to his left, and waited patiently for his chief's arrival.

Within minutes, a small man entered the room. He gave a curt nod to Saito and proceeded to walk to his table. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Saito. There was an emergency meeting." Kawachi paused and frowned lightly as he sniffed the air. "I have an assignment for you."

Saito glanced at his chief, moved from his post to take a file offered to him, then returned to his previous position. After a quick read, he closed the file, threw it to a nearby table and told his chief his opinion. "You ask me to do a bodyguard job."

"It wasn't a usual bodyguard job. I want you to guard a merchant by the name of Makoto Shishio."

"Yes, I have read it here. It wasn't anything other policemen cannot do. Ask someone else to do it."

"He received threats to kill him and his acquaintances. A good information is required in this case and I couldn't think of anyone else but you to do it."

Saito didn't reply. Instead he turned to leave the room without the report. Just one step away from the door, he heard Kawachi called his name.

"You might be interested in knowing who the sender claimed himself to be."

Partially interested, Saito very slightly turned his head to one side to prompt Kawachi to continue.

"Jine Udo."

At the mention of this name, Saito turned back fully to face the older man. "Jine Udo?" He asked with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Yes."

A scary smirk twisted the wolfish man's lips and a look that only meant danger crossed his face. Then without another word, he turned to leave the room.

(--)


	2. The Arrangement

Disclaimer: not mine, get nothing out of this.

**The Arrangements**

The meeting came out very well, Aoshi noted with satisfaction. Shishio had agreed to be their business partner for several years to come with a shipment of a number of goods from England as their first project together. With Shishio's growing influence in Japan 's politic, Aoshi knew he had gained a powerful and important partner. At this rate his company would be Tokyo 's-or even Japan's biggest company, aside from Shishio's own company of course.

The meeting was held in Shishio's own house, an unusual choice for a meeting place but no less perfect for the occasion. The design of the house was simple yet elegant, modern yet classic. Western influence mixed with Eastern as the theme for the interior of the house. Aoshi had thought that mixing the two different cultures together would result in disharmony but he changed his mind when he saw how beautiful the result was in Shishio's house.

And the garden! Aoshi took pride in the beautiful and serene gardens of his house but now it paled in comparison with Shishio's. The elder man had the most beautiful Japanese gardens he had ever seen. Shishio had noticed his interest to the garden also, it seemed, that after the meeting was finished he took him and his companions around the house. Aoshi was especially fond of the garden with a path leading to a small teahouse hidden from view in the center of it. The place seemed to be design to fit the season but he bet it'd look just as beautiful in the other seasons.

During this time Aoshi had ordered his companions- his right hand man, Hannya and Shikijo to return to the company headquarter to report to Okina the good development and he was wandering around the house accompanied by Shishio himself.

"You seem to like my gardens very much, Shinomori-san."

"Yes. They're very beautiful." Aoshi answered respectfully.

Shishio was a very attractive man in Aoshi's opinion. He has long pointed nose and fair complexion, unlike Aoshi's own pale complexion. He's quite tall, too. But above all, he was very graceful and oozed confidence befitted a royalty. Aoshi was trained to be the same of course, but he knew that this man's grace was natural and didn't come from prolonged practices. He must've been very attractive to women. And from the rumor spreading, Shishio in fact had a mistress in the town, a very beautiful oiran named Yumi. The must have been a perfect couple together.

"I'm glad you think so. Tell me, Shinomori-san, do you practice cha-no-yu?"

"Yes, I do."

"Would you like to join me for it, then?"

"I do not mean to bother you." Aoshi said with a bow.

"I insist, Shinomori-san. I haven't practiced it for a very long time now. And I couldn't hope for a more decent companion." Shishio said with slight nod. At Aoshi's seeming consent Shishio looked around. "Ah, Soujiro, you couldn't have come at more convenient time."

Aoshi felt his heart stop beating for a second at the mention of the name. It seemed like his infatuation with the mysterious boy hadn't completely disappeared. Though he had been distracted by the meeting, now that it's over and no longer occupied him, his mind had returned to its previous object of contemplation. Slowly he turned to see the person Shishio had called, preparing himself to be disappointed once again.

But this time he wasn't. And he was forced to hold his breath as the boy he'd been searching for made his way to him.

There was no mistake. Aoshi knew it was him, though he now he wore pale blue kimono and white hakama instead of that blue yukata. Soujiro made his way gracefully to them, bowing deeply as he reached his master.

"Shishio-san. I just bought some delicacies from the town. I'm sure you'd like it."

"I'm sure I will, Soujiro. I will have them later. Right now, I am going to have cha-no-yu with my guest here. Can you prepare it?"

"Yes, sir." When he straightened up to see his master's companion, he realized who it was. Sharp blue eyes locked onto startled ones. For a moment, Soujiro remained staring and gaping like a fool. He recognized the man as the man he met in the festival a few days past, the man who had stared at him oddly. He was staring at him he same way now and he felt the same unease and chills he had felt back then. Quickly he bowed to Aoshi and hurried off.

Shishio had of course noticed this exchange. He watched quietly as Aoshi's eyes followed the boy until he disappeared from their sight. Slowly a sly smile was formed on his thin lips as understanding dawned on him.

"He is my page, Seta Soujiro. Please forgive his manners. He isn't usually this impolite." Shishio bowed politely.

"Not at all, Shishio-san."

"It seems like you have met him before."

"We met at the festival." Aoshi said curtly, not wanting to tell Shishio how he had ogled at the boy's display of innocent seduction.

"Sou ka…" Shishio trailed off. If the look of desire upon Aoshi's eyes were any indication then there's more to the meeting. He made a note to himself to ask his page about this later. But for now… "Shinomori-san…" he began. "I have a personal proposal for you."

* * *

Shishio smoked his pipe as he sat in his office with satisfaction. Aoshi had agreed to his personal proposal and as a result they had established a relationship stronger than written in the contract. Least to say he was pleased with himself for getting such brilliant idea.

The object of the agreement was still oblivious to this new plot, of course, as he hadn't had the time to inform him. Much to his annoyance he still have another guest today. This meant he wouldn't be able to see Yumi tonight. He was sure his mistress wouldn't be pleased to know this. But he couldn't send Soujiro to pacify her, either, for he had plan for the boy.

Shishio flicked through report papers in front of him absently. He hoped his guest would come soon so that he could come to Yumi's house tonight. He would still have the time if he hurried.

A knock was heard on the shobi and he granted the person outside the permission to open the door. Soujiro opened the door but remained outside.

"Your guest have arrived, Shishio-san." The boy said with a smile.

Shishio put his paper into his shelve carefully and got up. "Thank you, Soujiro. Have someone prepare tea for us and bring that letter to us."

As he made his way to where his guest was waiting, Shishio couldn't help but think how troublesome this whole business was. Had he been an ordinary man he would've fumed. But he wasn't an ordinary man so he must face his problem with grace that he thought didn't befit the situation.

He wondered who had sent this mad assassin to threat his existence. He had just been into politic and he already had an enemy. Shishio decided he didn't want to know how many he'd make once he had entered the real thing seriously. Well, might as well get used to having these cops around him.

When he entered the room his guest was sitting on a mat quietly. Shishio noted that he brought a Japanese sword with him. This was no ordinary cop then. Quietly satisfied with the police chief's choice, Shishio made his way to the mat prepared for him.

"So you're the person assigned to this case." Shishio said, once he had settled down.

"Yes." The man prostrated before him deeply. "My name is Saito Hajime."

Saito Hajme. The name sounded very familiar. Was he the infamous third division captain of Shinsengumi? Shishio was curious but decided against asking him that question directly.

"Please, Saito-san, don't be so formal."

As the man straightened up, Shishio had the chance to take a good look at his guest. He was a lanky man, probably in his mid thirties, the sharp angles of his features showed that he had been through the worst in life, his closed-eyed smile was fake just like Soujiro's. Shishio wondered what this man tried to hide.

"So what do you think about the case?"

"It's a very interesting case, Shishio-san, considering who the sender is."

"Jine Udo? Who is he?" Shishio feigned confusion. He had had people to find out of course and he had memorized the madman's history by now.

Saito knew this but continued. "I think you need to know that Jine Udo was once a hitokiri during the previous war."

"Is he?" Shishio feigned shock.

"Yes, he was." Saito answered politely. His eyes opened slightly to watch the display of fake shock on Shishio's face.

"So what do you think we should do?" Shishio asked almost innocently. He had realized that Saito had seen through his lie but decided to go on. There's no sense in letting this police officer get into him.

"I can't decide anything before I see the letter."

Right at this moment, the shobi was opened to let a maid serve the two men tea.

"I understand. Mayu." Shishio called the young girl into attention. "Have Soujiro bring the letter here."

"Hai, Shishio-san" The maid said with a bow before leaving them alone again.

"Soujiro?" Saito asked once the shobi closed before the maid and the soft padding of her feet disappeared.

"He is my page."

"Your page. How very peculiar to entrust the knowledge of such letter to a mere page."

"I've raised him since he's a child, Saito-san. I never doubt his faithfulness." Shishio said calmly. But Saito detected an edge to his voice; it was obvious that Shishio was displeased by his doubt to this Soujiro. Saito made a note to himself to investigate this Soujiro's background secretly. After all, the most dangerous person was usually the one closest to you.

"Of course, Shishio-san." Saito said with an apologizing bow.

There were soft pads of footsteps just outside the room. They ceased in front of the door leading to the room they occupied then the shobi opened once more, this time to allow a young boy to enter.

"Shishio-san." Soujiro bowed to his master. "I bring the letter you requested."

"Thank you, Soujiro. Give it to Saito-san and stay here for a while." Shishio ordered, motioning to the man in front of him. "Saito-san, he was the one who found the letter."

Soujiro bowed again, then turned to face the other man in the room. As he handed the letter to the man, their eyes met for just a brief second. Saito's eyes were for once open in slight slits, trying to find out whether the boy was as trustworthy as Shishio made him out to be. But his searching eyes met nothing but carefully calm, honest ones that were quickly hidden beneath lids.

"Oh? How did you find it?"

"When I took the letters as I usually do. I noticed that this one was rather weird because it wasn't a well written as the rest and it was placed in a simple envelope addressed to Shishio-san instead of formal one." Soujiro's sweet voice rang clear.

He was honest in this case, indeed. But Saito could sense something else shifting beneath the calm eyes. He had no doubt that Shishio had seen it also, after all he had obviously spent time perfecting the art of hiding his true self, just as Saito and about anyone else. But what they hid was probably darker than most people did. Danger. They were sharp swords, ready be drawn when needed. Saito had found an outlet to his wolf's dark demand and Shishio surely had found a way to use his power to his own demon's advantage. But this boy… Saito knew he must be careful and not get into the boy's dark side.

But what sweet demon the boy could become! Saito recognize many other things in those eyes other than the demon. Sweet poison of desire mixed with naïveté. A virgin reluctant to see the real world, the boy was. And Saito yearned to show him just what he had missed.

"So what do you think of the letter?" Shishio asked, unaware of the dark thoughts in the old wolf's mind.

Saito read the letter carefully, tearing his mind from the sweet boy before him. The letter itself was nothing special, only an ordinary threat to assassinate Shishio. The only thing that caught Saito's attention was the name of the sender of the letter and the way it was written and he told Shishio so.

"The way it was written?" Shishio asked.

"Yes. It only says that he will kill you but doesn't offer any explanation as of why. Usually in the case of death threats for revenge, the sender will give some explanation about why he wants to kill you. To redeem one's sin or to get what he thinks belongs to him were usually the case. The lack of explanation could mean three things. One is that Jine Udo only does this for the sheer fun of it; very possible considering his reputation in the past as a bloodthirsty manslayer. Two, Jine Udo was a hired assassin paid by someone jealous of your success; again, a very possible scenario. And three, this was just an empty threat made by someone who has a grudge over you to disrupt your life."

"Well, I certainly hope it was that last possibility." Shishio said. "Which one do you think it is?"

"I cannot conclude anything before I made a thorough investigation. But just in case, may I ask you who could possibly have grudge over you deep enough to want to kill you?"

"Hmm." Shishio hummed lightly, tilting his head up slightly as he tried to think of someone to match Saito's description. The list was too long, however, and he must eliminate some of the possible suspects.

Saito used this chance to study the boy beside him. Very young, he couldn't be more than eighteen years old. Despite the slight built, Saito knew there was strength hidden there, more as a profit of doing hard works than actual practice. The boy was like an unused katana: slender and finely made by a master smith, beautiful but capable of so much power and violence.

Realizing that he was being watched, Soujiro turned slightly to Saito. The dark hunger in the man's eyes astounded him that for a brief moment he lost his composure. Quickly, he averted his eyes to watch his hand on his lap. He was unable to prevent a shudder from running down his body. What was that? He wondered to himself. The look upon the officer's eyes was almost similar to the one on Shishio's guest's today but darker. Like a wolf locking on a prey, he thought to himself.

Saito watched as the shock played across the boy's eyes when their eyes locked. Soujiro's eyes were bright with recognition and fear, from what exactly Saito could only presume. The old wolf found it difficult to imagine someone has tainted this boy, if so than the boy was incredibly dense as to not realize what had been done to him and keep his innocence with him. But maybe that wasn't the case, and Saito could certainly understand why one would direct lust-filled eyes to this obvious virgin. Those wide blue eyes were dead give away to the boy's inexperience of this darker side of human being.

"I could think of many, Saito-san, as I'm sure you've already guessed." Shishio said, breaking Saito's line of thought.

"With your position in the society, it's only to be expected." Saito replied. Shishio was apparently unaware of what had happened between the other occupants of the room for it only lasted a brief second. "I imagine many were jealous of your success."

"It's a success earned with hard work."

"Of course." Saito said with another polite bow. Shishio had politely said that he didn't gain his position by inflicting displeasure in others and Saito had politely replied that he would take Shishio's words but he would do an investigation anyway. "Now if you don't mind, would you please tell me a few of those you thought were capable of doing this?"

"Of course. Soujiro, you may leave." Shishio dismissed his pageboy who bowed low before retreating from the room.

Saito watched discreetly as Soujiro escaped. The slight twitch on the corner of his lips went unnoticed by Shishio. The wolf had found a prey.

* * *

Soujiro had almost always prided himself as one of the few people who managed to understand at least a part of Shishio's mind. The older man was eccentric in his own way, to the point where he was considered evil even. But for Soujiro, he was just an opportunist, a good businessman who seized the opportunity when it was offered to him. Soujiro, along with Yumi and Sadojima Hoji, Shishio's secretary and right-hand man, knew him well enough to the point of almost being able to predict his next plan.

However in some occasions, Shishio reminded everyone again that he wasn't someone one could understand completely. There were times when even his closest persons were shocked by his course of action. And right this moment Soujiro was being reminded of this.

"Pardon me?" Soujiro asked softly in light shock. "Shishio-san…"

"Starting tomorrow, you will take lessons in Shinomori residence every other day. Shinomori-san had agreed to give you some lessons of mannerism and teach you some finesse."

"Demo… Naze?" Soujiro asked, tilting his head to one side in confusion.

"He had taken a liking of you it seems." Shishio said with a smirk, half teasing the young page. To his amusement, Soujiro flushed lightly and appeared to be abashed. So there was something more about the meeting in the festival. Shishio decided to ask about this both to tease his pageboy and to relief his curiosity. "What exactly had happened when you two met?"

Soujiro was sure he was as red as tomato right now. Somehow, he felt uncomfortable to tell that Shinomori had looked at him very closely, to the point of where Soujiro thought he was going to eat him alive. "Nothing. We met each other when we took a rest on the riverbank."

"Hmm." Shishio hummed, taking a drag from his pipe. He exhaled a long stream of smoke from his thin lips then spoke again. "Apparently you have caught his interest. It was very generous of him to offer to give you a private lesson, you mustn't decline."

"Hai, Shishio-san." Soujiro said with an obliging bow.

Shishio nodded in approval. "The lessons won't be easy so you must study hard. Shinomori-san and I have high hopes on you."

"I will."

Shishio nodded again. "Excellent. Have everyone informed that starting tomorrow we will have police officers protecting this place. I have also informed Yumi that the same goes to her."

"Sir?"

"If the threat is true then I am not the only one in danger. You may leave now."

Soujiro paused slightly to ask whether the officer from today would be present also, but decided against it. He bowed to his master one last time before leaving the room. He couldn't decide whether this day was a good one or not. But he knew for sure that starting today his life wouldn't be the same anymore.

TBC

review, please...


	3. The Lesson

**The Lessons**

"Please come in, Seta-kun." Aoshi motioned the smiling boy to enter his private study as he opened the door leading to it. "It's more comfortable in here." He explained when Soujiro paused as if to ask why they were in the private part of the house instead of a more public one.

"Hai." Soujiro bowed before following Aoshi into the room.

The study was simply furnished. Unlike the study that Aoshi normally used to work, this one had a less formal atmosphere. Unlike Shishio's residence, Shinomori's residence had very few western touches, only some items given by the most important clients were kept around the house. But otherwise traditional atmosphere dominated the beautiful house. There were ikebana neatly placed on either sides of a beautiful calligraphy. There were also several shelves that probably contained books and art tools. On one side of the room, was shobi leading to a beautiful Japanese garden outside.

"Kirei." Soujiro said before he could stop himself.

"I'm glad you think that way." Aoshi said politely.

Soujiro beamed a smile at Aoshi, stopping the man's breath for a while. Soujiro was wearing the same pale blue hakama and kimono with a shirt beneath that Aoshi saw him in the other day. Pale blue matched him best, Aoshi thought, it complimented the boy's innocent blue eyes.

Just as Aoshi mused how beautiful Soujiro might look out in the garden, with the sun shone on him and all the color of summer around him, a voice screamed his name from a few rooms away. The loud padding on the wooden floor signaled the coming of the person. Aoshi would've sighed in annoyance if not for the adorable confused look on Soujiro's face.

"Aoshi-sama!" Misao greeted her beloved cousin as she opened the door. As usual she wore the too-small clothes Aoshi gave her when she was a child. Aoshi had of course intended for her to stop wearing it when she grew up, but Misao had other ideas. It was the first gift Aoshi gave her, she reasoned, so she refused to change it for something else.

"Misao." Aoshi acknowledged the girl's presence calmly.

"I heard you have a special guest. Who is it?" Misao asked excitedly, though with a slight undertone f suspicion and jealousy. No doubt that it was Ogina's doing, spreading questionable news like that to the girl. "Is it you?" Misao asked to the boy beside Aoshi. Her obvious relieve confirmed Aoshi's suspicion that Ogina had made it to her as if yet another woman of Ogina's choice visited him.

"Hai." Soujiro bowed politely to her. "Boku wa Seta Soujiro desu. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Makimachi Misao. The pleasure's all mine." Misao said cheerfully. Then the young girl turned to Aoshi again questioningly.

"Misao, from now on Seta-kun will take lessons from me every other day." Aoshi announced, seeing the look on his cousin's face.

"Really? Can I join you guys?" Misao asked hopefully.

Of course she wouldn't pass the chance to stay around her crush, Aoshi realized with slight exasperation. He glanced at Soujiro who waited for his response patiently. He wouldn't mind, Aoshi knew. But he wanted to be alone with the young man without the disturbance from anyone.

Aoshi thought hard of a way to reject the girl without sounding too eager to be with Soujiro. Trying to frighten away Misao wouldn't be a wise option since it'd probably made her suspicious.

Thankfully Aoshi was saved from having to answer, by the one person that he expected the least to come to his rescue. Okina's voice came from the hall outside, calling Misao.

"Misao! Are you here?" The old man said as he opened the shobi leading to the room they're in. "Ah, you're here also, Aoshi."

Aoshi nodded slightly to the old man. Realizing that Ogina was looking to his side where Soujiro stood, Aoshi introduced him to the old man. "Seta-kun, this is Okina. Okina, this is Seta Soujiro, Shishio-san's pageboy. He is to take lessons from me from now on." He looked straight to Okina's eyes while saying that, quietly stating what he could not to Misao.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Seta-kun! Aoshi is an excellent teacher. I'm sure you'll learn things easily from him." Okina said, seemingly oblivious to Aoshi's silent message. "Well, we should leave them alone, then. Seta-kun needs to study!"

"But, Okina! I want to study with them, too!" Misao whined.

"Now, now, Misao-chan, we can't disturb them. Besides, I'm sure you've learnt all there is to know for a girl."

"Demo…"

"Oh, right, I forget to tell you. A letter from Himura just arrived this morning!" Though Okina's gaze was directed to Aoshi, he knew that it was intended to Misao.

"Himura? When did it arrive? Why didn't you tell me?" Misao asked excitedly.

"It just arrived this morning. I forgot since I was so busy with the inn."

"Show me! I want to read it!" Misao pleaded excitedly, her earlier concern forgotten. Aoshi almost breathed a sigh of relief. He hoped Ogina was able to keep Misao off this room for the better part of the day, or at least until Soujiro returned to Shishio.

"All right, all right. I think I put it in my study…"

Misao soon pushed the old man out of the room, telling him to show her the letter. Ogina obliged smilingly and left with the girl. Before he closed the door he threw Aoshi a smile that wasn't only meant to be an apology.

The look upon Soujiro's smiling face was a mixture confusion and amusement when Aoshi turned to look at him. Cute, he mused, cuter than even Misao on any day.

"Shall we begin?" Aoshi finally said, folding his long legs underneath him. The lesson and his quest to win the boy had begun.

* * *

"Tadaima!" Soujiro called out when he opened the gate that led to the servants' compound. Despite his exhaustion, his smile was still present on his face. His first lesson with Aoshi that day was tiring, he must admit, but truly interesting!

Seeing that no one was around, Soujiro tried to practice his first lesson. Walking.

He squared his shoulder, lifting his head proudly and walked forward. It did feel different from the usual way, relaxing his shoulder, dropping his gaze to avoid people's eyes and humbling his steps. It was rather difficult at first. He felt like an idiot practicing in front of Aoshi. The man was as composed and charismatic as ever, making Soujiro want to bow his head.

Aoshi was so kind and patient with him, Soujiro thought fondly. He was not at all like the predatory man he met during the festival. He was so gentle, too. Every time Soujiro felt intimidated by his natural grace and pride and bowed his head, Aoshi would lift his face with kind fingers tipping his chin up. The look on Aoshi's eyes was exceptionally soft and gentle at times like this and it made Soujiro's heart almost burst in his chest.

So lost in memory, Soujiro didn't realize his surrounding. He tripped on a stone that somehow had managed to get onto the small pathway. Soujiro gasped in surprise, preparing himself for pain. But suddenly his elbow was caught and he was pulled to strong unyielding chest.

Soujiro lifted his open eyes up to meet his captor's. Blue met cold yellow and with a gasp Soujiro realized just who this man was.

"Gomen." Soujiro spluttered, unable to hide his embarrassment and discomfort. Did the man saw him earlier? Soujiro saw no one when he entered the house. How did he get here to catch him so fast?

"Be careful, bouya."

"Hai. Gomen." The smile was instantly in place and Soujiro closed his eyes to hide his emotions.

"Where did you go to?" The man's amber eyes were sharp and intimidating. He reminded Soujiro of Aoshi, somewhat. Maybe it's their height and intimidating presence.

"Ah, I went to one of Shishio-san's client's house. He ordered me to go every other day." Soujiro said cheerfully.

The man looked at him closely for a few more seconds, let him go and stepped away. Soujiro almost sighed in relief. But that man was still too close for his comfort. Soujiro decided to ignore that for the moment. He tilted his head slightly to one side, trying to recall the man's name. Though he hadn't been properly introduced to him, Shishio-san had mentioned it to him in their first meeting yesterday.

"Anou… Saito-san?" He began questioningly. When Saito didn't correct him, Soujiro continued. "Saito-san, what are you doing here?"

Saito's eyebrow rose slightly in amusement. "I was quite sure Shishio-san has informed you that from today onward police will guard this house. If he hasn't I expect you to at least grasp that from the conversation we had yesterday."

"Yes, I know that." Soujiro said in embarrassment. He should've said something more intelligent than that. He really should learn to think before speaking. "I mean… well, it's getting late, isn't it?"

The sky had indeed turned a beautiful shade of orange. The lesson hadn't been that long, but Soujiro had to go to Yumi-san's house then run some errands afterwards. So when he returned the sun was setting in the horizon. The city would soon be engulfed in brilliant artificial lights. It was time for most workers to return home.

The corner of Saito's lips twisted into a smirk. "It's not that late." To him Soujiro sounded like a young girl telling her first lover to leave after walking her home after their first date. "But you're right, I was going home. I wanted to make a final check before I go."

"I'm sorry for bothering you, then."

"Not at all. My men will guard this gate and this area as soon as I leave. Good evening, Seta-kun." Yellow orbs lingered on the boy a fraction of second longer than necessary before Saito nodded and put his police cap on his head.

Soujiro watched as Saito disappeared behind the gate. He had a sudden vision of a wolf entering into a darkened forest to hunt. That animal suited Saito's image well, Soujiro thought; a sleek and dangerous creature in hunt of unsuspecting prey.

The last ray of sun left the earth and Soujiro was left in the dark. Suddenly he wanted the company of the old wolf again.

* * *

To practice mannerism was embarrassing, Soujiro decided. After the tripping accident that brought him to meet Saito, Soujiro must endure being laughed at during dinner by the other maids for trying to perform what he had learned that day. The art of eating was no easy task. It had seemed so simple when Aoshi showed him and guided him. But without the presence of his mentor, Soujiro's newly acquired knowledge disappeared and he simply stopped trying after a few embarrassing attempts.

He considered stopping the lessons. He was just a servant, after all. A servant didn't need to learn such painstaking mannerism. But Shishio had said that he mustn't decline. Aoshi was so kind and generous and patient to him and Soujiro knew he couldn't just suddenly ask to stop the lessons. He would disappoint his master, Aoshi and himself. He had hoped for this, Soujiro reminded himself, so he must finish what he started.

Determination always helped to lift his spirit and his enthusiasm. It didn't matter now that Soujiro was currently assigned to clean the house and gardens, a task that he knew from experience could take more than a few hours. He had some people to help him, of course. But Kamatari was only willing to clean the rooms closest to Shishio. Soujiro knew that Kamatari was attracted to their master ever since Shishio took him from the slump area of the city. Soujiro didn't understand what made Shishio do that back then. Perhaps it was the determination in the young man's eyes that amused Shishio enough to make him pity him.

So now every time he was to clean the large manor with Kamatari, Soujiro always got to clean the outer part of the house, which was considerably dirtier. And now the task was made more difficult with the presence of the cops. They did nothing of course, and they mostly just ignored his presence completely. But Soujiro still felt uneasy when he was around one of the cops guarding the house.

He had by now at least made friend with one of these cops, Sawagejo Chou. He was a fun guy and not at all serious like most of the police. He spent most of his time teasing and making fun of people around him and wandering around the house. Soujiro wondered if what made him attracted to the man in the first place was the thin length of steel that wrapped his torso. Chou had said that it was a sword, a very unique sword that only he, Sawagejo Chou, own. Soujiro was going to ask if Chou had killed anyone with the sword only to be interrupted by an officer saying that Chou's shift was over and that he was allowed to go.

"Sorry, bouya. But I'd like to catch some winks first and I better go fast before that ol' bastard catch me first and give some god-awful assignment." Chou ruffled Soujiro's hair affectionately. Apparently he too had taken a liking to the boy he just met to the extent of ruffling his hair like he had known him forever.

Soujiro didn't mind the affectionate gesture; after all he didn't get them often. He smiled at the older man as he left, then he returned to his neglected duty, cleaning the hall. The cloth he used to wipe the floor had gotten dry so Soujiro wet it again with water in the bucket he put just outside the hall. As he twisted the cloth to get the water out, Soujiro's mind wandered to Chou's sword once again. He couldn't seem to imagine how to use the sword at all let alone to imagine how to kill with it.

As he was daydreaming, Soujiro jumped when he heard a sudden clinking sound nearby. He dropped the cloth to the ground and winced slightly. He must get a new cloth from the maid's quarter now. The he looked up to see the source of the noise to see a lanky officer standing on the gravel just a few feet away from him. Had he been so lost in thought he didn't even hear the man's steps?

"Hmm. You were daydreaming." Saito stated with an amused smirk on his face.

Soujiro flushed in embarrassment. Saito came even closer to him, examining him closely with his amber eyes. Soujiro looked down and focused his gaze on the sword on Saito's hip instead.

"Where is Chou?" Saito suddenly asked.

"He just left. He said he wanted to rest before… before you found him." Soujiro paused when he remembered how Chou spoke about Saito.

"That's not what he said." Saito said again. "What were you doing here?"

"Mopping the floor." Soujiro answered matter-of-factly with a fake smile.

"No. You were talking to Chou and then daydreamed about something."

Souijro couldn't argue with that and continued to bow his head low. He felt Saito's amber eyes on him and must fought back a shudder. Why did this man look at him so intently? Surely, Saito didn't suspect that he was the villain in this whole plot, did he? Soujiro's gaze locked onto the sword on Saito's hip again. His eyes widened slightly when a horrible thought struck him. Saito couldn't possibly suspicious of him enough to want to kill him, could he?

Somehow, the lanky swordsman managed to read his mind correctly. "I am not going to kill you." He said, amusement lacing his voice.

"I know." Soujiro lied. His heartbeat slowed down to its regular rhythm now and he even managed to add smile to his voice.

Saito didn't need to speak his disbelieve loudly; Soujiro could feel it in his gaze on the back of his head. After a long silence, Saito spoke again. "You seem very interested in swords."

The sudden change of topic startled Soujiro but he didn't look up to acknowledge Saito's statement however true it was. If anything, Soujiro bowed his head even lower, as if in embarrassment. But his action didn't please Saito who then commanded him rather harshly, "Lift your face, Soujiro."

The authority in that voice made Soujiro look up. He forced himself to smile and meet Saito's eyes. This didn't please Saito either but this time he didn't say anything else. Saito scrutinized Souiro's face wordlessly. His stoic face never showed any emotion as if it was a mask. And it probably was. They were both wearing a mask to hide their emotion and feeling. The only difference was the form of their masks. Soujiro's mask was a pleasant smile and Saito's was cold indifference. And now they were both gazing at each other's mask to find cracks that show their true selves.

Somehow, Souijro knew that his mask would be the first to fall down. Saito was much too experienced in this.

"Are you interested in swords?" Saito asked after a long pause.

Soujiro knew lying would be pointless so he told Saito the truth. "Yes, I am." Saito's silence prompted him to continue and Sojiro began again with only the slightest hint of hesitation. "It's beautiful yet very deadly. I have once seen Shishio-san practice with it. The way he moved when handling the sword was very graceful it could rival Yumi-san's dances."

"Do you want to learn how to use a sword?" Saiot asked suddenly.

Soujiro paused then laughed lightly. "Saito-san, I'm merely a servant. Why would I need the skill to wield a sword?"

"You could protect your master with a sword. A servant's duty is to serve his master and protecting your master is a way to serve him." Saito said. His face and voice had no room for hesitation; they only reflected confidence and knowledge. Soujiro wondered if that was the reason why Saito learned how to use a sword in the first place.

"Then… do you want to teach me?" Soujiro asked slowly, Unsure of Saito's questions. Did Saito want to teach him or was it just curiosity that spurred those questions?

"Do you want to learn to wield a sword?"

"Yes."

"What for?"

"To protect myself and my master."

Saito said nothing for a moment. Then suddenly he took one of Soujiro's hands in his. Soujiro's eyes opened slightly in surprise but otherwise he said and did nothing else. Saito inspected his palm for a while. "You are used to hard work."

Soujiro wasn't sure whether he must elaborate this or not so he kept his silence. He allowed Saito to caress his palm for a while because somehow the feeling of the old man's calloused fingers on his skin comfort him. When Saito straightened up and dropped his hand somehow he felt rather disappointed as I something precious was taken away from him.

"When will your work be finished?"

"In the afternoon."

"After you finish work, come to the backyard. At that time of the day normally no one was there."

Soujiro could only nod dumbly and watched as Saito walked away. This was truly a surprising day.

* * *

The backyard was deserted during the afternoon. The maids mostly decided to use the free time to take a nap or do some due chores. Shishio was working in his office and there was no police officer around the place. The place was empty and quiet when Soujiro arrived there, as Saito had said.

Soujiro sat on a big rock under a tree. The shade the tree provided made the rock cool even in the afternoon. Soujiro sighed and smiled to the sky.

Who would've guessed that Saito would offer to teach him swordplay? Of course, coming from Saito, it didn't sound like an offer at all. But an offer was an offer still. And Soujiro wasn't going to let this chance go. His master, kind as he was, never offered Soujiro any opportunity to learn sword playing. Perhaps Shishio thought Soujiro didn't have the strength to lift the sword at all. And it's true that he had a scrawny body. But Soujiro had also spent some part of his life doing heavy chores. People often overlooked this fact when they saw his built.

"So you come." A voice startled Soujiro.

Soujiro removed his eyes from the sky and looked at the man he'd been waiting for. Saito was standing a few feet away from him, on the corner of the building. With him, he brought a shinai. Briefly Soujiro wondered how he got it.

"You told me to come here." Soujiro pointed out while standing up.

"You could decline." Saito said calmly as he came closer to Soujiro.

Soujiro had nothing to say against that and remained silent until Saito stood right before him. Saito's amber eyes opened in slits to watch Soujiro but Soujiro's eyes remained closed. His smile never faltered as Saito studied him closely.

"Try to hold this." Saito ordered as he handed Soujiro the shinai.

Soujiro took the sword from Saito. He tested his strength with it and was glad when he found it not as heavy as he thought initially. He told Saito this and earned himself a sneer.

"This isn't a real sword."

Perhaps the heats in his cheeks were light blush. One thing was sure though, when Saito held his hand to show him the correct way of holding the sword he was blushing. When the old wolf held his hand and repositioned them on the handle of the shinai, warmth spread throughout Soujiro's body. Saito's musky scent entered his lungs, making him weak. His hands on the shinai trembled ever so slightly but if Saito noticed this then he decided to say nothing of it.

Saito was no ordinary man and he noticed this of course. He smirked slightly as he leaned even closer to the boy. Sweet, innocent Soujiro was a stranger to lust and Saito didn't hesitate to show him the first glimpses of it.

"Concentrate, Soujiro." He whispered to Soujiro's ear. The boy's trembling grew slightly worse and Saito could feel Soujiro's heart beat madly in his chest. Saito's smirk grew wider when he heard Soujiro's soft exhalation over these simple words. "Pay close attention. The lesson has begun."

* * *

A/N: please, please, please review if you like this fic.


	4. The Rivalry

The Rivalry

**The Rivalry**

Nearly a month had passed since the threat from the Jine Udo arrived and nothing was yet to happen. But many things had changed in Soujiro this past four weeks. Being a genius that he really was, he took his lessons quickly. Both his teachers were pleased by his development. When they first taught Soujiro they had few expectations for their decisions to teach him were fueled by affection if not lust. Now that their beloved pupil improved to the better before their very eyes, they couldn't help but want him even more.

The days went peacefully and regularly for Soujiro who was still oblivious to his masters' hidden agendas about him. But something had changed in the way he viewed his masters. Perhaps he hadn't realized it or perhaps he denied it. But now he no longer only viewed Aoshi and Saito as his teachers, but also as men, two equally attractive men.

The two men had yet to know each other. Saito knew Aoshi as Shishio's kind client who gave Soujiro lessons of mannerism while Aoshi knew nothing of Saito. Both were competing for the boy silently.

Aoshi was a gentle one. He was careful in his approach and as a result Soujiro felt comfortable around him. He felt loved and cared for more than any time before in his life. Aoshi lavished him with affection, binding Soujiro to him slowly but surely with it.

Saito was the bold one. He made Soujiro aware of his sexuality and he bothered him greatly. But he spurred his curiosity. Like a moth drawn to flame, Soujiro couldn't resist Saito's advances.

And Saito was also the first to get restless.

If the threat turned out to be a bluff then he would have no reason to stay in Shishio's residence any longer and he wouldn't be able to meet Soujiro. And Saito despised the idea of leaving the boy so soon. Perhaps he's getting soft on him, Saito didn't know. But one thing was for certain: Saito would not leave before accomplishing his goal of claiming the boy as his.

It was a fine summer day when the first attack happened. Saito was starting to get impatient when one of his men came to him to report this while he was in his shift in Shishio's residence.

"Sir!" A policeman came running to him.

Saito glanced at the policeman and dropped his cigarette to the ground and crushed it with his shoe. "What is it?"

"There's an attack, sir! One of the maids was found dead in an alley not far from here!"

Saito's interest was quickly piqued. "Have Shishio-san known?"

"No, sir."

"Take me to the crime scene."

When Saito arrived, people had gathered around the place. The police had stopped them from coming closer and covered the body with a mat. The alley where the body was found was a quiet one for it was located in a wealthy part of the city. Therefore there was little chance that the crime scene had changed at all.

The first thing Saito did when he got there was checking the dead body. There was no sign of fights on the victim at all so it means she was attacked suddenly. But Saito had other suspicions. The only chance of sudden attack was from behind the victim but the wound was on the front part of the victim's body. Also, the body fell in the middle of the street. When facing a sword-carrying person, people tend to move away. So why was she still in the middle of the street? The wound showed that it was a katana, a long Japanese sword. To hide that kind of sword was quite difficult and it was more difficult to draw it out of its hiding place within a short range of time. She must have seen the attack coming but couldn't do anything about it.

"Ask if anyone in the neighborhood heard any scream for help." Saito ordered one of his subordinates.

"Yes, sir."

One usually hoped for the best but Saito hoped no one had heard anything because that would mean things would get more interesting.

*

"Mayu-san has been killed?"

"Hai. They found her body on an alley not far from here. People said she was brutally murdered. Can you believe that?" Kamatari stopped to drink his tea. "I guess the threat was true, ne?"

Soujiro said nothing. He didn't know what to say in this situation. When he arrived from Aoshi's house the police was all over the place. Kamatari had rescued him and pulled him into the maids' quarter to explain the situation. A maid was killed and the police was to guard the place even more carefully until further notice.

Kamatari sighed. "Well, I guess no more wandering across the own unaccompanied till things settle down." He gave Soujiro a meaningful look. "Perhaps you should ask Shishio-san if you still have to continue going to Shinomori-san's house."

Soujiro nodded. "I'll ask him later."

"What's so fun about learning all those dull stuff, anyway? I almost died of boredom just reading the instruction for cha-no-yu."

Soujiro chuckled. "Well, I haven't learned cha-no-yu yet, so I don't know. But I think it'll be exciting to learn it."

"You are one weird kid, you know?" Kamatari paused in thought. Then he leaned close to Soujiro teasingly. "Is it the lesson that excites you or the teacher?"

Soujiro tilted his head to one side innocently. "Both, I guess. Shinomori-san was a kind person. I like him."

"So you admit it!" Kamatari said triumphantly.

"Admit what?" Soujiro blinked in confusion.

"That you like him! Shinomori-san!"

"What's wrong with that? I like him. He's nice to me."

"Uh-huh." Kamatari nodded teasingly.

"He's like a gentler version of Saito-san. And Saito-san is very good to me, too. I also like him."

"Ooh! It's a three people relationship!" Kamatari said excitedly.

"Relationship? What are you talking about, Kamatari-san?"

Before Kamatari could either explain or teased Soujiro farther a maid came and told them that Shishio wanted to see all of them. Kamatari left quickly, dragging Soujiro along with him, eager to see his beloved Shishio-san. The meeting was brief however; Shishio was rushing to his mistress's house to inform her of this unexpected development. He only gave the servants instruction to not travel alone until further notice from him. He also informed the servants that the number of the police guarding the house would add in number from today onward and ordered them to inform the police if they found anything suspicious. Then he ordered them all away to prepare a proper funeral for the dead maid. Before Soujiro could follow his fellow servants, Shishio told him to stay.

"Yes, Shishio-san?"

"If I am not mistaken you are to go to Shinomori-san's residence the day after tomorrow, are you not?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, you are not to go to Shinomori-san's house until I say so. I shall attend a meeting with Shinomori-san and discuss this matter. Before then, my previous order applies to you and you nay not leave this house without company to go to Shinomori-san's residence."

Stifling back disappointment, Soujiro bowed. "Yes, Shishio-san."

*

Soujiro had never been so down and lonely in his life before. He hadn't had the best childhood or good friends before he met his master. He lived a solitary life for a better portion of his life. He knew all about the aching hollow in your chest when you realize that you have no one. Being with Shishio had saved Soujiro from having to lead such life any longer and perhaps it also took his immunity to the pain of being lonely.

Three days had passed since the homicide of Mayu-san and there wasn't a single new of the two men Soujiro had come to adore. Saito had of course been busy with the investigation of the murder. Soujiro hadn't seen him ever since his last lesson before Mayu-san's assassination. Shishio hadn't said a single thing to him about the discussion he said he'd have with Aoshi. Soujiro started to wonder if he would ever meet the gentle man again.

He didn't know when the presences of these men became so meaningful to him. Before, he was content just being with his fellow servants. He was happy just following orders from his master. When did he start to feel such life was a hollow one?

Just when Soujiro became so hopeless, Shishio called him to deliver a good new.

"Shinomori-san told me he would like you to continue your lesson in his residence starting tomorrow."

"Is it so?" Soujiro said. He could barely control his happiness over the news.

"Yes. He was concerned also of your security and thus has kindly offered to pick you up from this house every time you have a lesson with him." Shishio said casually.

"He has?" Soujiro asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes. He will also escort you back when the lesson has over in the afternoon."

Soujiro felt his cheeks heated up. It's rather embarrassing for Aoshi to do so just for a lowly servant such as Soujiro. He wasn't sure what that could possibly mean and why Aoshi would do it for him. But he was sure of one thing. He was happy to receive such attention from someone as noble and kind as Aoshi.

"Apparently Shinomori-san has taken great interest in your development. I can see why." Shishio paused to look pointedly at Soujiro's posture as he sat in front of him. "For him to offer this much just for you… You shouldn't disappoint him, Soujiro."

"Yes, sir."

*

The first time Saito had seen Aoshi was when the younger man came to pick Soujiro up in Shishio's residence. Saito had only heard about him from his subordinates, about how Soujiro always went to Shishio's colleague's residence every other day. He then learned the name of the said colleague and the purpose of Soujiro's regular visit to him. Saito had dismissed the information as one of Shishio's business tactics.

But the moment he saw Aoshi guiding Soujiro into his carriage, he knew his thought wasn't entirely correct. Perhaps it true that Shishio's purpose for ordering Soujiro to take lesson from Aoshi was purely for his business. But it clearly wasn't that way for Aoshi.

Saito observed quietly from afar just how close Aoshi walked next to Soujiro. His keen amber eyes caught flickering lights of affection in the younger man's eyes and the way his stoic face softened every time he looked at Soujiro. A cold fire of jealousy burnt Saito's chest when he recognize Aoshi as a rival to gain Soujiro's affection.

But Saito wouldn't just recklessly take Soujiro from Aoshi. He knew of the power of the Shinomori's. They weren't mere businessmen. Saito knew the power of the family in Japanese politic world. Though the young heir of the Shinomori house no longer participated in politic, many politicians respect him still and would not dare to cross his ways.

But he would have Soujiro. He would not let Soujiro go without a fight.

With a smirk Saito turned away, a plan already in mind. Outside the gateway, the carriage drove away.

^_^


	5. The Seduction

A/N: Sorry I neglected to update the fic. It's been in my hard disk but I completely forgot. Hope this worth the wait.

Disclaimer: not mine, receive no profit.

**The Seductions**

"How were you doing these past few days, Seta-kun?" Aoshi asked politely when they were inside the carriage, on their way to Shinomori residence across the town.

"I've been doing quite well, thank you." Soujiro tried to answer as politely as possible. "Ano… Shinomori-san?" He said after a moment of hesitancy.

"Yes?"

Their proximity in the carriage was so distracting. Aoshi sat next to Soujiro, his intense blue eyes stared right into Soujiro, his scent filling Soujiro's lungs. The boy found it difficult to form a proper sentence to express what he had in mind. Soujiro looked up and gave Aoshi his most harmless smile.

"I'm sorry for being such a bother. You must have other, more important things to attend to. It's unnecessary for you to pick me up every time. I can ask Shishio-san to order some people to accompany me to your place. I'm sure he won't mind."

Soujiro ducked his head to escape Aoshi's acquiescing gaze. This was the only way he could do in this situation. He had a feeling that no fake smile could fool this man's keen eyes and he was afraid of what Aoshi would found in him… And he was more afraid of what he would find in himself through Aoshi.

Soujiro tensed slightly when long elegant fingers touched his face. Those fingers tilted his head up gently so that he looked straight into Aoshi's surprisingly gentle eyes. His heart thundered in his chest when Aoshi leaned closer.

"No, you're not a bother. Not a bother at all." Aoshi said softly. His thumb caressed Soujiro's jaw lightly, causing the boy's breath to hitch. His eyes flickered down to Soujiro's lips. His breath was caught when Soujiro licked his dry lips in an unconscious gesture of seduction. He forced himself to clamp down his urges for the time being. This was not the time yet. "You're not a bother at all, Seta-kun. In fact you are the best pupil I've ever known." He said softly before releasing his hold on Soujiro's chin.

The spell broken, Soujiro inhaled the much-needed air. "You're flattering me, Shinomori-san."

"I am, but that's the truth." Aoshi raked his gaze on Soujiro's body though not in an intimate manner. "You've taken the lessons well and faster than I have predicted. And today I have a special plan for you."

"A special plan?"

Aoshi nodded shortly. It was clear that he wasn't inclined to spoil this special plan to Soujiro, so the boy remained silent the rest of the way to Shinomori's residence. He kept glancing out of the window to hide his nervousness. Yet he caught himself staring at Aoshi's reflection on the glass and several times, their eyes would meet on the glass, causing Soujiro to lower his eyes shyly.

Aoshi found this adorable, but kept the thought to himself. He said nothing until they arrived in his residence. There he motioned Soujiro to follow him into the main house, where Soujiro never went into before. He was surprised when Aoshi gave him blue silk kimono. When he looked at Aoshi in askance, Aoshi only told him to put it on, silently.

Soujiro did so obediently. The kimono was ornamented with golden spheres with a black obi tied the clothes together. Soujiro had never worn anything as luxurious as this before. The silk felt cold on his skin, contrasting against the heat of the summer day. The clothes fitted his perfectly, too, both in color and in size. After admiring himself on the mirror, Soujiro quickly went to find Aoshi to express his gratitude. He was shocked to find the man standing guard in front of the door leading to the room in which Soujiro changed.

"Are you ready?" Aoshi asked coolly.

"Ready? For what?"

Aoshi said nothing and only led him out of the house and into the carriage, once again. Inside the carriage, some boxes of bento had been prepared.

"Are you taking me somewhere?" Soujiro asked once Aoshi was seated.

"Yes."

Soujiro knew that Aoshi wanted to give him a surprise. He wouldn't tell him no matter how hard he pressed. Soujiro didn't want to risk angering Aoshi, anyway. As Shishio had said, Aoshi had been so kind to him and he should only give him the best of him. Minding his master's order, Soujiro refrained from asking further.

Soujiro busied himself playing with his new kimono, touching the expensive fabric as if in entrance. He traced the gold and black design with his finger, marveling how lucky he was to receive such kindness from a person like Aoshi. He was startled when Aoshi suddenly touched his shoulder gently.

"We've arrived." Aoshi said softly.

Soujiro nodded quietly and followed Aoshi out of the carriage. He stopped abruptly when he finally realized here Aoshi had taken him. It was a public park he had heard of but never visited. It was said to be one of the most beautiful gardens in the city. And now, in the beautiful season of summer, Soujiro couldn't help but agree. Colors blossom all around the park as voices of animals fill the atmosphere with symphony of the nature.

Aoshi hid his smile as he led Soujiro into the park. The boy was so obviously taken by the beauty of the place, carrying the boxes of bento so absentmindedly Aoshi was worried he'd trip over and drop their lunch. He was still continually amazed by this boy's innocence and childishness, something mostly lost when a boy turned that age.

Finally they arrived in a quiet spot overlooking a man-made lake in the middle of the park. Aoshi laid a blanket he'd been carrying onto the ground and motioned Soujiro to sit there with him.

Aoshi let Soujiro serve them their meals. It was rather odd to have a male serving you meal for it was usually a female who served him. But Aoshi decided that he enjoyed it even more when Soujiro served him. Quietly, with a grateful nod, he took a plate of many kinds of dishes that Soujiro offered.

Hesitantly, Soujiro took his own plate that he had filled with some of the dishes himself. Carefully, he lifted the chopsticks with one hand and started to eat slowly. A shy glance to his companion proved his suspicion true. This was as much recreation as this was a test. Aoshi wanted to see him practice the lessons he had taught and Soujiro couldn't help but become nervous with it.

He seemed to do it well, though, for Aoshi didn't criticize him at all through the meal. The only things the young man said were kind opinions about the food and the weather. Soujiro replied to them politely, perfectly masking his nervousness.

"I'm glad to see you practice your lessons well." Aoshi said after their meal was finished.

Soujiro bowed with a polite smile. "Thank you."

"You're an excellent pupil, Seta-kun. The best I've ever known." Aoshi complimented.

Soujiro's cheeks flushed pink enticingly. "Thank you." He said again. Then, to distract Aoshi from his reaction, he offered Aoshi drink. "Would you like to have the tea now?"

"Aa. Yes, please." Aoshi answered. He smiled slightly upon seeing the flush on his pupil's cheeks.

Soujiro poured them tea and they drank together in silence while watching the lake. They had chosen the right place it seemed, because the other part of the embankment was full of families having short refreshing vacations, having fun in the park. In contrast to that, they were surrounded by silence. The only noises other than their breathing were the chippers of birds. Soujiro couldn't help but be reminded of the night he first met Aoshi in the summer festival. The situation was almost the same then; they were separated from the crowded world and stayed in their own little sanctuary of peace and serenity.

"It's a very beautiful place, Shinomori-san. Thank you for taking me here." Soujiro said with a polite bow after setting down his empty cup of tea.

"You deserve your present after a month of being a good pupil. I thought you'd enjoy this place."

"I do, Shinomori-san. These flowers and trees and everything… They're wonderful. Don't you think it's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" Soujiro said cheerily.

"I can think of something… or rather someone… even more beautiful…"

Soujiro was stunned to see Aoshi's sharp gaze directed to him. The young man's eyes were soft and kind as they locked onto his. His cheeks heated under the intense stare but Soujiro couldn't bring himself to avert his gaze elsewhere. Was Aoshi talking about him?

Soft breeze caressed them, causing Soujiro's hair to flew and tickled his face lightly. But still, Soujiro did nothing. His muscle refused to move as he drowned in Aoshi's deep blue eyes.

It was Aoshi who made the first move. He leaned forward to Soujiro and tucked soft strands of hair that tickled Soujiro previously, behind his ear. But he didn't withdraw his hand immediately. Instead his fingers lingered, caressing Soujiro's cheek gently. Unconsciously Soujiro leaned to the touch and Aoshi's eyes twinkled with hidden smile. Then Aoshi's fingers traveled lower to his slender pale neck, his finger tips grazing the skin lightly. Soujiro gasped as his spine tingled with unknown sensation.

Aoshi looked at him in something akin to awe and adoration for a while before withdrawing his hand and leaning back. His kind eyes banished the thought that perhaps Aoshi was displeased of his action from Soujiro's mind.

"Come. We must leave. Your master will be searching you."

* * *

Soujiro stopped sweeping the yard and bent down to retrieve a fallen camellia on the ground. He smiled as he twirled the pretty flower around, admiring it from every angle. He wouldn't have considered it a beauty a month ago; he wouldn't have considered it an addition to his chore to clean the yard. But now, after the lessons with Aoshi, many things changed. He started to notice little things, like the beauty in the motion of a feather carried by the wind, the silence of the gardens in Shishio's residence or a fallen flower.

His heart fluttered when he remembered Aoshi. Soujiro sighed dreamily and leaned onto his broomstick. He recalled what Aoshi had said to him the previous day.

_I can think of something… or rather someone… even more beautiful. _

Was it true? Did Aoshi mean what he said? Did Aoshi really consider him beautiful? Because for Soujiro Aoshi was beauty. Such a handsome, kind, and powerful man was nothing if not beauty. Yet Aoshi called him beautiful. Why?

"You're daydreaming, bouya."

Soujiro was startled out of his reverie by the cold calm voice which he hadn't heard for so long. He looked up to see Saito leaning on the wall opposite to him a few feet away, looking coolly at him. Pink flush started to crawl to his cheeks.

"Saito-san!" He exclaimed softly as an expression of annoyance, surprise and longing.

"I see you've neglected your duty." Saito said as he slowly approached the boy. His eyes raked Soujiro's body predatorily. He wondered how far the young Shinomori had gone with his pupil. They had gone for quite a while to who-knows-where the day before. Had Shinomori taken him to his residence? Had he indulged this boy's sweet innocence?

"I see you have, too."

Saito raised an eyebrow. Soujiro smiled to see this and continued. "How is the investigation going? It seemed to be a difficult case. I haven't seen you for a while."

"It progresses well." Saito replied coldly. He didn't miss the implied longing in Soujiro's voice, however. Immediately, he remembered the plan he had devised since he saw Soujiro with Aoshi the day before. A small smirk crept to his face. "But what about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Have your skill rusted during the time you didn't train?"

"… I don't know." Soujiro said honestly.

"We shall see, then." Without another word, Saito walked away, forcing Soujiro to follow him. The boy glanced at his unfinished work, then at Saito's retreating figure. Making a decision, he hid his broomstick behind the camellia tree and followed Saito.

Saito's long strides made it difficult for Soujiro to catch up with him. When he turned to a corner, he suddenly found himself alone in one of the quietest of Shishio's gardens. The blue-eyed boy looked around him in confusion. Where had Saito gone to?

Suddenly darkness covered his sight, making Soujiro gasped in surprise. Something settled over his eyes, blocking his sight. Panic settled over the boy and he struggled slightly to remove the blindfold from his eyes. But powerful hands caught his wrists before his hand could remove the cloth. Soujiro shuddered when he felt breath caressed his ear.

"We might not have much time." He heard Saito speak. His body relaxed immediately to hear the familiar voice. He knew he was safe with this man. "There is something I want to teach you."

The hilt of a shinai was put into his hands. His fingers hesitate only for a moment before his body could recall how to wield the sword. Saito's hands leave when his grip on the sword strengthened yet his body's warmth still lingered on Soujiro's skin.

"The objective of this practice is to train your other senses. You can't always rely on your sight. I will attack you and you must block my attacks without seeing me directly."

"But Saito-san…" Soujiro protested.

The boy's body jerked when long fingers moved the cloth that slightly covered his ear and slipped it behind his ear. "Use your other senses."

That said, the finger withdrew and the voice disappeared. Soujiro shifted in his spot nervously. He tried to sharpen his ears, trying to hear any kind of sound from around him. The rustling of leaves caught his attention, but then he heard the sound of gravel knocking onto each other and became distracted. Every sound became extra loud for him, alerting him of possible opponent's presence. His ears became extra sensitive, listening to every gush of wind, every rustling of plants. His body tensed as he turned from side to side, expecting his opponent/master to attack him.

The light smack on his hips startled Soujiro. He turned to the direction where the attack seemed to come from and swung his sword wildly. But it seemed like his mentor had moved from that spot. Soujiro's breathing grew ragged as his senses strained to locate Saito.

For a very long moment there was not the faintest of sound. Yet Soujiro knew that Saito was still there with him. He was sure Saito wouldn't just leave him unannounced. The older man was still around, waiting for him to lower his guard. But Soujiro had no intention of doing so. He would master this lesson as he had with the previous ones. He wouldn't disappoint his master now of all time.

But there are things that Soujiro had yet to know from Saito. That was the man's ability to mold into silence and darkness, something he took up during his days as the guardian of the city of Kyoto. The man effortlessly moved around Soujiro noiselessly, watching as his pupil struggled to find him. He wondered when to make a move, when his patience would pay off. His lips twisted into a small smirk as Soujiro turned his back on him.

A surprised gasp escaped Soujiro's lips as a long arm circled his waist. His grip on the kunai slackened but a hand closed over his to strengthen the grip as a tall body pressed closely against his from behind.

"S-Saito-san!" He stuttered.

Suddenly he became very aware of flex of muscle of the body behind him, every intake of breath, every soft exhalation caressing his face. His spine tingled and his body weakened suddenly. Saito must've noticed his tremor because he tightened his hold around him.

"Hmm? Is it too early for this lesson?" He said to Soujiro's ear. The combination of his tickling breath, rough voice and intoxication scent made Soujiro trembled even worse. Unconsciously, as his body grew weaker, Soujiro rested his head on Saito's shoulder, revealing pale column of flesh begging to be marked.

Saito was not an impulsive man. But he couldn't fight the strong urge to taste the virgin beauty for the very first time.

"Yes. Too early, indeed." He murmured as he ran his thin lips slowly down Soujiro's jugular, before ending the burning path with a light nip.

The soft moan that trickled out of Soujiro's mouth was the sweetest sound he'd ever heard. His body immediately demanded more, but his consciousness told him otherwise. Sharp amber eyes glanced to one side of the silent garden and stayed there for a moment. Apparently he had too little time to succumb to his body's wishes. But there's still enough time to etch this event in the folds of the boy's memory.

"Would still like to learn more?" He whispered softly against the mark he just left on the boy's previously unmarred skin.

Silence. He could sense confusion and doubt in the boy's mind but gave him no pity.

"Would you like a repeat of this lesson?" He said as a hand that previously secured the boy's waist slid down to the juncture between his hip and thigh. "Hmm?"

"Y-yes, please." Soujiro fought to say.

Saito's lips curved into a smirk. Slowly, he released Soujiro and took a step back before taking off the blindfold. His smirk was still in place when Soujiro turned to him. He wanted to caress that flushed face and wipe away the innocent confusion from the boy's expression, but his duty demanded his immediate attention and SAito always prided himself as a responsible man.

"Then I shall see you the day after tomorrow." The old wolf said before taking his leave quietly, leaving Soujiro lost in his body's demands.

* * *

Saito wasn't some power-obsessed person, but he did expect some respect from his subordinates. Respect wasn't so difficult for him to achieve for he possessed his own brand of charisma. He projected an air of pleasantness to those of his superior and his equals, and deadly experience to his subordinates. They all respected him, perhaps begrudgingly, and tended to deal with him cautiously for they mostly sensed the sleeping wolf behind the polite façade.

But this was the one person who stubbornly refused to admit his respect and admiration to him. A proud fool, Saito secretly called him. Perhaps Saito himself admired the young man's bravery to defy him. But he wouldn't dare to speculate that far.

Chicken head was how Chou would call him, a nickname that earned the blond a mocking nickname of broom head. Together, they could cause Saito greater headaches only a full box of cigarettes could cure; a mystery Saito couldn't fully comprehend because an acquaintance once told him of the danger those thin sticks have to one's health. But as a professional, he must admit that together, they worked very well and most of the times, the headache worth the information they gained.

The first thing that greeted Saito when he exited the compound was a thick cloud of dust, courtesy of his subordinates' short tempers. Briefly, he considered practicing his gatotsu on them but decided that whatever information they carried worth more than short satisfaction of eliminating his sources of nuisances. Though he'd better not be interrupted just to watch this stupid, pointless fight another ten seconds.

"There's no point in fighting a loser." Chou insulted his opponent openly after seeing Saito.

"You just don't want to admit defeat!" Sagara Sanosuke barked, raising his fist to launch another attack.

"Fools." Saito sneered just loud enough to be heard by Sanosuke.

Finally noticing his presence, Sanosuke turned angry eyes to him. "What did you say? Temee!!"

Saito ignored the slight threat the boy offered. They both knew he could take him down in a second and though Sanosuke never got tired of trying, Saito had long since lost his interest in dealing with his bruised young pride. So he came to the more sensible of the duo.

"What did you get?" Saito asked, ignoring the knowing glint in Chou's eyes.

"There has been at least twenty known victim of Jine Udo. They all came from different fields but had one similarity. All were at the height of their careers before they died, or working to one of such."

This confirmed his theory that this death threat was not for Jine's personal grudges against Shishio. But this would only make things more complicated because he now had two targets to capture.

"Why is this the first time such case comes to surface?"

"Death threats are regular occurrences to these kinds of people and when they realized this was serious, it's far too late. Shishio is lucky he'd heard of this guy before and contacted the police. Our presences here impede Jine's actions, obviously. In other cases, the target died as early as a week after the threat first arrived."

"Have any of his employer ever been found?"

"No."

"And there have been rumors, too." Sanosuke said from behind him. Apparently, the young man had calmed his uncontrollable temper. "It's said that if you want to hire him you should come to a small shrine in the wood just outside of Kyoto. I've gone there and found nothing."

"Of course. He's a professional assassin. Do you expect to catch him while he dallies around in his hiding place?"

"Temee!!"

"And as for the list of Shishio's current partners and probable rivals; it's endless. That man gained quite a number of them."

"Did any stood out among the rest?"

"No. All of them were powerful men in business and politic and all could have a connection to Jine. But," Chou smirked in a mixture of triumph and challenge. "if there's anyone really worth mentioning, it'll be the young Shinomori heir."

Saito didn't react to hear that and merely looked at the smirking blond coolly. It's at these moments that he knew he had made the right choice when he accepted Chou into his small team. Now if only he could make him put that curiosity into a good, proper use.

"Yeah. He probably has the motives and he certainly has the resources." Sanosuke piped in, unaware of the exchange between his companions.

"What motives?" Saito asked, turning to the young brute.

"We haven't gotten that far. There are still so many to investigate upon." Sanosuke shrugged. But then he hastily added, as to not be underestimated yet again. "Well, he's in trading business and politic, right? Could be one of the two, or both."

Sighing softly as if in exasperation, Saito calmly walked away. "Contact me when you have more information."

"Hey! It's not easy investigating a hundred people in a month time. You should be grateful that we've got so much information!" Sanosuke yelled behind his back.

"Those information you got me are nothing I couldn't find on my own." Saito replied coldly. "And about this Shinomori… I'll handle him myself."

With that Saito returned to Shishio's residence, ignoring three pair of eyes watching his proud back retreating from view. He would forever regret not paying closer attention to his surrounding that day.

^_^


	6. The Dream

Disclaimer: they're still not mine. I still get nothing out of writing this other than exhaustion, bills, and gratification from the reviews.

A/N: err... oral sex is okay, right? Or should I censor it? I don't wanna get in trouble anymore than I do at a regular basis.

**The Dream**

Large palms caressed his bare skin gently, yet possessively. They glided up and down his body, teasing his nipples, stroking his sensitive hips. He moaned wantonly and his body arched to the touch. But strong hands held him still and he moaned in protest.

Soft breath caressed his ear, teasing his skin, burning his body. His heart raced inside his chest, his stomach clenched tight, his body taut. What was happening to him? He turned his head, trying to see the person who held him tight. Through his glassy eyes he captured only a glimpse of yellow eyes but then a hand went low to caress his inner thigh and he rest his head on a strong shoulder as he gasped.

"_Hmm? Is it too early for this?"_

He opened his mouth to answer but could only let out a moan instead. His body felt so hot, so hard, so… incomplete. What was happening to him?

"_Beautiful."_

Hearing that whispered word, he looked down to see a mop of dark hair and blue eyes. His hips jerked forward at the sight but it was the soft touches along his thighs that tore out unfamiliar noises from his mouth. His head lolled when he felt a nip on his neck.

He felt whispers of soft touches on his hips and his thighs, but not where he felt he needed it most. He clutched the arms that held him down, desperately. He was panting now, confused and needing more. Calloused fingers caressed his nipple almost roughly and he moaned wantonly.

And then suddenly wet warmth enveloped him. He arched his back in surprise and pleasure. He looked down in surprise and could only make out a long moan when he saw the top of black hair bobbed. He threw his head back as his stomach coiled tighter and tighter.

"_Would you like more?"_

He tried to answer, he really did. But all that came out of his mouth was a long moan. He reached down to the dark hair, gripping the soft strands tightly. Warm breath caressed his ear and a mouth latched onto his neck. He knew he couldn't take it anymore.

"Please… please… Saito-san… Shinomori-san…"

The lips on his neck curled into a smirk. The mouth on him moved faster, bringing him closer, and closer to oblivion. Skilled hands teased him mercilessly until finally, finally his world faded into white.

* * *

Soujiro woke up, gasping for breath. But for a long second he could see nothing but blinding white as he arched his back and clawed the bed beneath him. Then slowly, his senses returned, one by one, muddling his mind.

What had just happened?

His body trembled. He felt weak but oddly satisfied. The robe he'd don to bed was wet and sticky. Liquid ran down his thigh slowly as he noticed the unfamiliar scent filling the room. Somehow, all these reminded him of his dream.

_Would you like more?_

_Beautiful_

Gods, what's happening to him?

* * *

"… Seta-kun?"

Soujiro jerked awaked when he heard his name being called. Guiltily he looked up to see Aoshi peering down to him with worry etched lightly over his face. This sight made his cheeks warmed and he looked away from Aoshi's deep blue eyes.

"Gomen. I was daydreaming."

Aoshi leaned back with a soft concerned sigh. "Your mind hasn't been on the lesson today."

"Gomen. I'll try harder." Soujiro bowed in apology.

Aoshi shook his head. "Why?"

Soujiro looked up, scared that he had angered his mentor. "Aoshi-san?"

"It's very unusual of you to space off. What's going on?"

Soujiro lowered his eyes. Somehow he felt embarrassed. That dream last night was something that he naturally knew as unfit. He still felt confused and lost. What was happening to him? Why would he dream of such things about his mentors?

"Seta-kun?" Aoshi prompted. Clearly he wasn't going to let this matter pass and demanded an explanation.

Soujiro swallowed down his embarrassment and looked up rather timidly. "I had this dream…." He couldn't go on anymore. His cheeks burnt in shame as he looked pleadingly to Aoshi to not ask further.

At first Aoshi merely stared, not comprehending. A dream? Was that what it's all about? But then he noticed Soujiro's red cheeks and realized that there's something more about this dream. Slowly it dawned on him the kind of dream Soujiro had and it stole his breath away. Did Soujiro dreamt of…

His cheeks burnt hotter under Aoshi's piercing gaze. Should he explain further? "I saw you and… "

Soujiro never finished his words. The next thing he knew was that Aoshi had latched his mouth over his. Aoshi's tongue teased his lips to demand him entrance and he obeyed with a gasp. Suddenly that tongue squirmed inside his mouth, tattooing the roof of his mouth with undecipherable marks. He made a surprised sound, but Aoshi paid him no heed. Soujiro tried to pull away but Aoshi didn't allow him to break the kiss and cupped the back of Soujiro's head to pull him deeper into the kiss.

Slowly, Aoshi lowered Soujiro to the tatami floor and settled himself between Soujiro's legs. Soujiro's hand pushed his shoulders away but he didn't budge. He ran his free hand over Soujiro's lean body, caressing his chest and massaging his sensitive hips, wringing a gasp from the boy. The hands that pushed him away weakened and Aoshi used the chance to unbutton Soujiro's shirt. Once his bare chest was exposed, Aoshi broke their kiss to trail a wet path down Soujiro's neck and chest with his tongue.

Soujiro's cry was music to his ear as he latched his mouth onto a pink nipple. Soujiro arched beneath him and into his mouth. He felt the first sign of hardness pressing against his stomach and leaned up to capture Soujiro's lips again as he ground his hips against it, feeding the fire within him. Soujiro moaned beneath him, intoxicating him with his voice and scent and sight and mere presence. Aoshi snaked a hand down Soujiro's back to the cleft of his bottom. He ran a finger through the cloth, trying to find the hidden entrance. Soujiro to push back against the finger and he growled softly and marked his neck with red.

What was happening to him? Soujiro could only moan as Aoshi touched him and kissed him. His body burnt from the touches even more intensely than the dream he had last night. And when Aoshi grind his hips against him, the fire burnt brighter. And when he touched him he wanted… He was going to…

"No!" He cried, pushing Aoshi away from him. He remained motionless, staring at Aoshi's astounded face only a fraction of second. And then he left the room, running, confused and afraid. What was happening to him?

* * *

Soujiro ran and ran from the beautiful Shinomori residence. He barely thought at all as he went down the familiar streets that would eventually lead him to the safety of Shishio's residence. His body still burnt from Aoshi's kisses and touches, his mind still reeled. What was happening to him? Why did he feel this way?

He rounded a corner and hit a strong chest. A hand grabbed his shoulder to steady him and he immediately fought it.

"Bouya."

Soujiro gasped and looked up into cold yellow eyes and shivered. No. Not him. He couldn't deal with him now.

"What happened?"

Soujiro looked at Saito incomprehensibly, lowered his eyes and then shook his head negatively. "Nothing."

Saito narrowed his eyes, disbelieving. Clearly the boy was lying. And why was his shirt open? Had someone… "Where have you been?"

"I… I…."

Suddenly Saito remembered what day it was. Soujiro was supposed to go Shinomori's residence today to have his lesson. It was highly unlikely for him not to go there. So does that mean that it was Aoshi who…

"Is this Shinomori's doing?" He asked coldly.

Soujiro's eyes widened when he heard the name. "I… Shinomori-san…"

He gasped when Saito suddenly pushed him against a wall. His protest came out as a moan as Saito attacked his neck with bites and nips. The fire inside him burnt anew as Saito slid his hand into his open shirt. He arched his back to Saito and moaned as his thumb grazed his nipple. To add more of his torture, Saito slid his thigh between his legs and ground it against Soujiro's hardness.

Saito rained kisses on his neck and then finally kissed him so passionately that he clung onto Saito's shoulder as his bones had suddenly melted. Soujiro could barely keep his senses intact anymore. Aoshi had awakened his desire and Saito was just feeding it, making it worse with his kisses and touches. He couldn't take it anymore. Soujiro moaned into the kiss and ground his hips down onto Saito's strong thigh.

"Seta-kun."

Soujiro gasped and broke the kiss when he heard his name softly uttered. His eyes widened when he saw Aoshi standing a few feet away, looking at him and Saito. His cheeks heated under the gaze and for some unknown reason, he felt rather guilty.

"Shinomori-san."

Saito stopped when he heard the name and looked up to see his rival. He smirked when he noticed the astounded look on Aoshi's face. Cruelly, he ground his thigh against Soujiro's hardness, causing the boy to moan out loud. Chalenge was clear in his action. Aoshi narrowed his eyes angrily to him and Saito replied with one of his infamous smirk.

Embarrassed, Soujiro pushed Saito away from him. This time, Saito relented and moved away. Panting, he looked back and forth between his mentors who were glaring at each other. Soujiro didn't understand what was happening but he felt like he was caught in a fight between them. His shook his head and started to run away from them.

Saito held Aoshi's gaze challengingly. He had no doubt that it was Aoshi who started this but he had every intention to be the one to finish it. But it wouldn't be an easy fight. Saito recognized determination in Aoshi's eyes. Aoshi wasn't a man to underestimate. Saito knew he'd try to find a way to possess Soujiro. But Saito wouldn't just allow him to do that easily, he himself was determined to make Soujiro his. He would not let his prey go without a fight.

But a soft cry distracted them both. Saito immediately sensed something wrong and turned around. His eyes widened at the sight that greeted his eyes there.

A tall man in a pale kimono was clutching a struggling Soujiro. The boy's struggles made no impact on him. He looked as insane as Saito remembered him to be when they last met several years ago. He remembered clearly why Jine Udo was banned from Shinsengumi and he didn't regret supporting that order.

He stayed only several seconds. Saito had no time to react before he leapt to the roof and disappeared from sight. Realizing he had no chance to capture the madman, Saito could only glare angrily at the fading figures. His sharp eyes soon caught sight of a piece of white paper blown by the wind. He captured it easily. In his anger, he nearly ripped it as he opened it.

He felt Aoshi coming closer to him to read the letter. He felt anger and concern burning from the younger man, feeding his own. He read the letter, every word inflaming his desire to eliminate the mass murderer.

"If you wish your lover to be alive, come to the shrine at the wood tonight. Jine Udo."

^_^

Is it okay? Tell me?


	7. The Rescue

A/N: Is anyone even waiting for this chapter to come out? Well, if you are, here it is… Assignments killed me… sorry…. *dies*

Disclaimer: RuroKen has no pron. I own RuroKen not.

**The Rescue**

"Who is he?" Aoshi asked him as they hastened toward the wood.

Aoshi had followed Saito after reading the letter. His worry over Soujiro overcame his jealousy toward Saito. The letter was given to Saito so obviously he knew who this kidnapper is. And the mere fact that an obviously skilled swordsman challenged him meant that Saito was not an ordinary police, he was someone the madman would consider an equal in swordsmanship.

"His name is Jine Udo. He is a wanted assassin." Saito replied. His sharp eyes spoke of cold anger and desire to kill. Aoshi was almost frightened of him but reminded himself that his current priority was to save Soujiro and this man was the key to it.

"Shouldn't we call police?"

A scoff escaped Saito's thin lips. "No. They're useless at times like this."

"So you think you could save Seta-kun?"

Saito stopped when he heard the question. Aoshi feared that he had angered the older man but stood his ground even as Saito glared at him coldly. He was sure that people around them on the street could feel the tension between them but he couldn't bring himself to look away from those mesmerizing golden eyes. "What made you think you could stop him?"

Saito looked at him coolly for a long moment before granting him an answer. "Because I was in the same group as he was years ago. I know his skill. I know that it was way below mine." The grin on Saito's face reminded Aoshi of a wolf in hunt of its prey. He realized that Saito was merely stating what he believed was true and what was probably the truth. He was stronger than the murderer.

"What are you?" Aoshi found himself asking.

The grin disappeared into a pleasant smile, the amber eyes were now hidden by eyelids. "Me? I'm just a regular policeman." Saito answered politely.

Had Aoshi not witnessed the dangerous look upon his face mere seconds ago, he would've believed him. But he knew that he was lying. He wasn't an ordinary policeman. How could an ordinary policeman be an acquaintance of a murderer? But Saito's true identity didn't matter now. Their main concern was Soujiro's safety.

"What are we going to do now, then?"

"We? I would think that it's wiser for you to stay at home." Saito said politely though his eyes glinted with challenge.

Aoshi glared at him coldly. He couldn't loose to this man. Not when the one at stake was Soujiro. "I refuse to stay back when Soujiro-kun's life is in danger."

"Jine will kill the boy when he sees me with a company." Saito said, touching the hilt of his sword. "I have no wish to have Seta-kun murdered."

"Neither do I." Aoshi didn't miss the movement and took a cautious stance.

Saito's smile dropped as he glared down at Aoshi. The younger man answered the evil look with one of his own. He could not back down. He didn't know who this man was to claim to be able to defeat a dangerous-looking assassin but he wouldn't back down. After all Aoshi had to admit that he was partially at fault too and running away would be very irresponsible of him.

"I will go with you."

Saito peered down at him but Aoshi was adamant. Finally, Saito looked away with a light scoff. "I will not be responsible for your life." He said as he started to walk away.

Aoshi gave one last glare to the tall figure before following him. Saito didn't have to be worried about him, he knew how to help himself. Kempo had been a part of his childhood education. His family demanded perfection in anyway, including in martial art. Aoshi was not to be trifled with during kempo matches. He had yet to test his skill against a swordsman but he had no other choice but to rely on his current ability. "Just get Soujiro." He said as he fell into pace next to the policeman.

"Oh, I will." Saito said with a smirk.

Aoshi threw him one last glare before directing his eyes forward. Arguing with this man would lead him to nowhere. He focused instead on how to take Soujiro away from Jine.... and also this man.

* * *

The wood was dark as they neared the shrine in the wood. The sun had just set in the west and the last trails of red had been swallowed up by the woods. Yet Saito didn't find any difficulty in navigating his way. He walked in a purposeful stride, avoiding trees and bushes. Aoshi followed closely behind him, not wanting to loose sight of his only guide to save his beloved.

Saito didn't pay much attention to the younger man. His eyes and mind were set solely to his target, Jine Udo. He was a man of practicality; he didn't find it necessary to compose some smart strategy. His kept his plan simple. First, he'd kill Jine and then he would rescue the boy. But he did have to put Aoshi's presence into account. He only hoped that the young man possessed enough wisdom to know when to leave because Saito had no intention to protect him.

As the clearing surrounding the small shrine slowly came into view, Saito's senses became even keener. He knew Jine would not resort to dirty tricks such as an ambush. The fact that he had sent Saito an official challenge proved that. Saito was well aware of the man's ability though and couldn't help but be cautious.

"I'm disappointed, Saito. You have changed, it seems." Jine Udo sneered as soon as his eyes caught the sight of two figures nearing the shrine. Despite his words, his voice was filled only with mad thirst for blood. Behind him, a restrained Soujiro looked over his shoulder with something akin to fear and surprise when he saw his rescuers.

"I have not changed, Jine. Now, let's not waste my time." Slowly Saito drew out his sword from its sheath. The strong metal glittered under the moonlight as he assumed his signature fighting stance, ready to launch the technique he was most famous for, the _Gatotsu_.

"What about your friend there?" Jine asked, standing up from his position on the porch of the shrine. He looked at Aoshi with unmistakable intent for more murder tonight.

Without sparing a glance to the Shinomori heir, Saito answered his opponent. "He is here to observe." He paused to allow a deadly smirk to grace his face. "You could kill him if you so desire. But first, your opponent is me and we've wasted far too much time for this pointless chat."

Jine let out a mad laugh and finally entered the battle ground. He drew out his sword and poised it, ready to attack. Though he knew it's useless against Saito, he still used his hypnotizing technique, _Shin no Ippo_. He knew it would buy him a little time, enough to give him a slight advantage over Saito. As soon as Saito was rendered immobile, he charged forward accompanied with a muffled whimper from his pretty captive.

Entirely prepared for this kind of attack, it didn't take much effort for Saito to focus his energy within himself. He gathered his whole concentration to one invisible point within and released them all at once to release Jine's spell on him. He had more than enough time then, to launch his first _Gatotsu_ to his opponent. Unfortunately Jine had sensed that his spell had been broken and moved away in time only to attack once again. This time, too, Saito was prepared with yet another version of _Gatotsu_.

The technique was much like himself; fast and efficient; a quick stab to the opponent's body, injuring the vital organ that would lead to severe injuries or immediate death. At the time of war, there was little time to linger in a combat and Gatotsu was perfect for this purpose. Even now, it was still Saito's most beloved technique for he never found thrill in torture, but in victory.

Jine was the complete opposite of him, Saito thought. The madman drew out his fights to enjoy the fear of his victims'. His techniques were pointless and inefficient. He was Saito's perfect prey.

Knowing this, Jine had assumed defense during their fight. He had also realized that he had little chance to do harm to Saito. Where _Gatotsu_ lacked in dynamic movements, Saito had developed physical strength and agility. Whenever Jine tried to attack Saito from his blind spot, Saito would land a kick or a punch to him and if he tried to avoid them, he was in risk of being cut or stabbed by the old wolf's sword. Within minutes, Jine had bruises and cut all over him. He panted for breath as he assessed his opponent. A grin formed on his lips. This was proving much more fun than he thought. He held his sword horizontally in front of him so that he could look at the reflection of his own eyes.

"I am undefeatable! I am powerful!" He told himself repeatedly. He felt power surged through his body as he chanted those words and grinned wider.

Saito on the other hand, watched this scene with little interest. It wasn't his first time witnessing this. He had since long ago found the weakness in Jine's technique. He waited until Jine was finished. "Are you done?" He asked coolly, fearlessly.

Jine answered this by attacking him with perhaps twice the strength and speed as before. But Saito was prepared and just before Jine's attack could possible cause serious damage to him, he pulled back the hand which held the sword and stabbed Jine's chest. He showed no mercy as Jine's body was sent flying back to the shrine, stopping only after it hit the wall.

Calmly, Saito approached the dead body, silently enjoying the sight of the partially deformed late swordsman. Looking at his sword, Saito realized what a tough fight it was. He reached into his pocket to get his cigarette. It was a pretty decent work out and he was a little proud to note that he hadn't lost his skill.

"Saito! Saito!"

"Hmm?" Saito hummed lazily. He felt a tad lethargic after the fight. After all it was the best he'd had for a while now. He had almost forgotten the other presences there.

"Something's wrong with Soujiro." Aoshi told him impatiently, worry etched all over his handsome feature.

Saito frowned and approached him. Aoshi was kneeling on the wooden floor of the shrine, holding Soujiro close to his chest. The boy looked pale and unmoving with sweats beaded his skin. Immediately Saito was concerned. What had Jine done to him?

"He wouldn't respond when I call him." Aoshi told him. "There is a faint pulse. He's still alive but something's wrong."

Saito checked the boy's temperature. He frowned when he felt chill under his hand. He checked the boy's pulse again just in case and was relieved when he found it. "Jine had used his technique on him. He is in shock. Let's get him out of here."

"Let's take him to my house." Aoshi said, standing up and carrying the boy in his arms easily.

Saito knew this was the best option. He couldn't bring Soujiro to his house and he didn't want to explain the situation right now. Shinomori's manor could actually provide care that the boy needed as soon as possible and Soujiro was his priority. With no complain Saito nodded.

* * *

A/N: R&R, please... please... rescue me from the bottomless darkness brought by ASSignments *dies again*


	8. The Passion

A/N: I'm really sorry to those who has been waiting for this. This chapter is finished a long time ago but I wasn't confident with the sex scene. Anyway, the version here is censored. The full version is in my livejournal page. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Ruroken and the characters aren't mine.

**The Passion**

They rushed Soujiro to Shinomori's manor. The manor was mostly silent with Misao and Ogina in Tokyo to visit Himura. Despite trusting his servants, Aoshi chose to tend to this matter himself. Aoshi brought Soujiro to his chamber and placed him on his futon. He caressed the boy's sweat-soaked bangs softly, hoping to get some reaction.

"I'll fetch the doctor." Aoshi said, standing up.

"The doctor can't help him." Saito said coldly.

"And you think _you_ could?" Aoshi asked, glaring at the older man standing by the door.

Saito didn't grant him an answer immediately. He knelt near the bedding to check Soujiro's pulse again. When he had assured himself of the boy's condition, he caressed his cheek with an uncharacteristic gentleness. "I've done all I could."

"What did you do? You only killed that man." Aoshi said. He received no more than a glare from Saito. He realized that he had done less than Saito. He could only observe as Saito risk his life to defeat the mad murderer who had kidnapped Soujiro. He couldn't even go to rescue Soujiro while the two were fighting, entranced as he was by the combat. Guilt gnawed at Aoshi. He wanted to do something for Soujiro.

Saito looked at Aoshi coldly. "Jine's technique was to block his breathing. The only way to undo it was for Soujiro to break it himself, or to kill Jine."

Aoshi frowned in displeasure. A soft moan from the futon drew his attention from the growing banter. When he saw that Soujiro had awakened, he immediately knelt at the other side of the bedding. Aoshi sighed softly in relief when the boy's eyes fluttered open. "How do you feel? Are you all right?" He asked as soon as Soujiro seemed to have fully awakened.

Soujiro nodded slowly and then tried to sit up. He smiled softly when Aoshi helped him. "It's all right. I already feel much better, Shinomori-san."

"Are you sure?" Aoshi asked again.

Soujiro nodded more firmly now. "That man… did something. He looked at me… and suddenly I couldn't breath." Soujiro paused to bow slightly to both men. "Thank you for saving, Saito-san, Shinomori-san. I've given you so much trouble today."

"It's all right, Seta-kun. In fact I have to apologize for causing this."

At first Soujiro looked at Aoshi blankly and then a light flush spread on his cheeks as he remembered what had happened earlier that day. So many things had happened that he had almost forgotten that. Indeed, this wouldn't have happened if he hadn't run from Shinomori's residence and bumped into Saito. Shame filled him as he recalled how he had reacted to Aoshi's touches earlier and how he had reacted nearly identically with Saito afterward. He lowered his head in embarrassment. "I… ah, gomen…"

Soujiro gasped softly in surprise when strong fingers lifted his chin. Suddenly he was looking straight into piercing yellow eyes. "There's nothing to apologize for, bouya. We should. We both have dragged you into this."

Aoshi looked at the man across from him in covered surprise. He hadn't expected Saito to apologize. Though he hadn't known the man for very long, he had the impression that he was a very proud man. Saito wouldn't apologize easily to anyone and yet here he was, admitting his mistake to the young man.

"There is, however, a question you must answer."

"Yes?" Soujiro asked softly.

A sudden predatory gleam entered Saito's eyes to replace the cool understanding he showed earlier. It wasn't deadly like the one he had when he fought Jine. This time, it seemed to have a certain sexual intention. Aoshi noticed slight shudder in Soujiro's smaller frame and couldn't deny that his body was experiencing the same reaction. "Did you like what we did to you today?"

Soujiro spluttered at the question, confused and ashamed. Aoshi stared at the older man. Saito's tactlessness surprised him. Certainly, there were better ways to pose the question to the boy. He must admit, though, that he was curious of the answer and Soujiro was not one for tactful prodding. Soujiro's body had certainly responded well before but how did he feel?

"Did I repulse you?" Aoshi asked.

"Or did I?" Saito asked again.

Questioned by both men now, Soujiro was even more embarrassed. His face heated up and he lowered it to hide the blush. What they did to him were indeed unfamiliar with him. He had never experienced such sensation in his young life. There were thrill and pleasure, but along with them was also embarrassment. They overwhelmed him in an unfamiliar manner, confusing him, scaring him, putting him in light discomfort. Yet something in him craved for more. "I… I… I don't know." He finally said, shaking his head vigorously.

"Do you not know or do you not remember?" Saito asked with a smirk.

The blush on Soujiro's face was certainly fascinating but didn't answer the question. Aoshi found himself overwhelmed by curiosity for the answer. "Should we remind you?"

His boldness surprise even himself. Saito's eyes flickered to him and after looking at him for a moment, released his hold on Soujiro's chin. He smirked at Aoshi in challenge and Aoshi took it graciously. He placed a gentle hand on Soujiro's cheek and turned the boy's face to face him. He allowed himself to smile slightly when he saw the helpless expression on Soujiro's face. He leaned his face close to the Soujiro's until he could feel Soujiro's soft exhalations on his lips. "Allow me."

Soujiro gasped when Aoshi's lips touched his but he didn't pull away. Aoshi pressed closer and cupped the back of the boy's head to deepen the kiss. He licked Soujiro's bottom lip before delving his tongue into the boy's warm cavern. Aoshi kissed him tenderly at first, trying to slowly bring back the memory to Soujiro, running his tongue on Soujiro's palate and the rows of his teeth. After a while Soujiro moaned softly and experimentally flicked his tongue against Aoshi's and passion won out. Aoshi started to kiss him lustfully, sucking Soujiro's tongue to draw it into his mouth. Aoshi pulled the boy onto his lap when the boy attempted to kiss him back. The hardness poking his abdomen thrilled him further and he broke the kiss briefly to gasp for breath before devouring Soujiro's mouth again. Soujiro made a small noise and clutched his kimono top as passion consumed him.

Aoshi flicked his eyes open slightly when he felt an arm snaked between his body and Soujiro's. Yellow orbs caught his blue ones as Saito leaned in to kiss Soujiro's shoulder, neck and then earlobe. "I take it that you like him." He whispered to Soujiro.

Hearing this, Soujiro broke the kiss, much to Aoshi's displeasure. So he contented himself kissing Soujiro's jaw line and running his hand up and down on his back. He waited anxiously for the answer, hoping for a confirmation. "I…" Soujiro started to answer. "Yes."

Aoshi released a breath he didn't know he was holding when he heard the answer. To show his appreciation he licked and then bit Soujiro's neck, causing the boy to cry out. He lowered his hands to Soujiro's hips and guided the boy to rock his hips against his. Soujiro threw his head back and moaned loudly as pleasure ripped through his body.

"Ah… stop… please, stop… I…" Soujiro cried out again when red hot pleasure ran through his inexperienced body. He had to clutch Aoshi's shoulders tightly in order to control himself. But he failed when Saito lifted his hand to unbutton his shirt, slipped his hand inside and pinched a nipple. "Saito-san." He gasped out. Then Saito cupped his chin to turn his head slightly and kissed him.

The awkward kiss was no less sensual than the kisses Soujiro had shared with Aoshi earlier. It was clear from that kiss that Saito had more experience in this than Aoshi. He was practically eating Soujiro, not bothering to hide his smoldering desire for the boy. Saliva ran down the side of Soujiro's mouth as their tongues dueled passionately.

Soujiro was clearly on the losing side. He rocked his hips harder onto the hard lump on Aoshi's lap as he kissed Saito. Aoshi's kisses on his neck and Saito's teasing fingers on his chest brought his lust skyrocketing. His body tightened as he neared his release and he moved more vigorously.

Suddenly Saito broke their kiss and removed Soujiro from Aoshi's lap to the bed. He pushed the boy to lay down there with a smirk. Despite the kiss, he seemed almost completely unaffected except for the bulge pressing against his dark trouser.

Nervousness returned to Soujiro now that he wasn't occupied by the older men. His eyes flickered anxiously from one man to the other. They were both smiling at him in a similar lustful way, making him slightly uncomfortable. The thought of leaving never crossed his mind though. He knew he was safe here, more so than if he were out there. Still, he was very nervous with his mentors advancing towards him this way.

* * *

Saito had the consciousness to pull out and pull the boy from the mess they had made. He made a soft satisfied hum when a red-faced Aoshi cleaned Soujiro. The boy was already sleeping, thoroughly exhausted from the experience. Saito wrapped his arms around Soujiro tighter and kissed his unresisting lips softly. He lifted an eyebrow when he caught Aoshi staring at them silently. Wordlessly, he tilted his head to the side, motioning Aoshi to lie on the other side of Soujiro. Aoshi hesitated for a second but did just that. He wrapped his long arm around Soujiro's body and locked eyes with Saito's calm amber orbs. Seeing no malice there, he took a deep breath, buried his face on Soujiro sweaty locks, and slept.

* * *

The next day Aoshi sent a letter to Shishio informing him of his servant's well being and requesting him to allow Soujiro to stay in his manor for a while to recover. Aoshi wouldn't allow Soujiro to leave his spacious room, still worried of his health as he was. He brought everything Soujiro might need to the room, only allowing Soujiro to leave to bathe with his assistance.

Saito had gone early in the morning to report about Jine. He came back hours later looking satisfied but thoughtful. Soujiro had inquired about this but Saito found the subject of what he might've been doing with Aoshi while he was gone much more interesting.

Much to Soujiro's embarrassment, he had come to enjoy and even crave his mentors' attentions. Shame was slowly being pushed away every time they touched him. He no longer feared the pain that would come, knowing it would give way to heavenly pleasures. The knowledge to this thrilled his mentors, making them bolder in their advances.

Sometimes they would take turn with him. One would be finished with him only to be replaced by the other, over and over again until he could do nothing but whimper and beg for them to stop. They would kiss him in apology then, lick away his tears, and touch him gently to bring him to yet another pinnacle of pleasure.

Other times they would take him together. Their rigid lengths would stretch him to his very limit, moving in sinful harmony. He would gasp and moan and beg as they compete to bring him pleasure. Their touches would make him forget the pain and focus only on the pleasure. Because in the end, it was all about him and bringing him pleasure.

"Mmm…" Soujiro moaned softly, thoroughly sated and relaxed. He ignored the pleasant soreness all over his body as he was enveloped by familiar warmth of his two mentors. Soon he was asleep, not even once stirring when the men moved away.

"I planned to bring him back to Shishio-san's house tomorrow." Aoshi told Saito as they had tea by the window. He glanced back to the room, fondly gazing at Soujiro's sleeping form. Regret seeped into him. He was unwilling to let him leave but knew that he couldn't keep him here for too long. Secretly he wished Saito would stop him now that he had told him.

"That is not a good idea." Saito told him coldly. "It's still too dangerous now."

Aoshi frowned. Hadn't he killed the assassin the other day? Much as he would love to keep Soujiro with him longer, he knew it wasn't very polite to make his stay under the pretense of protection. While Shishio-san was obviously aware of his attraction toward the boy, he could not parade his affection in front of the older man. "Why?"

"Jine was a hired assassin. Someone else is behind this and I doubt that he has given up after Jine was killed."

"So you mean to say that Shishio-san is still in danger?" Aoshi said, surprised. He had known all along that there was some kind of conspiracy behind the murder plot but had foolishly thought that it ended with Jine's thought. He had overlooked the possibility that another assassin might be hired, jeopardizing Soujiro's life once again. He should've realized that it wouldn't end so easily. Jine was merely a disposable pawn, to completely secure Soujiro they must defeat the entire army and take down the king.

"He, along with everyone around him is. I think it's wiser if he stayed here for now." Saito said, sipping his tea calmly as if they weren't speaking of grave matters.

"I suppose so." Aoshi agreed. "Have you discovered this person?"

"I might have." Saito said with a slight smirk. Clearly he didn't want to spoil his plan to Aoshi. "I would have to leave early next morning. I might not be back soon. Can I entrust Soujiro to you?"

Aoshi frowned, annoyed that his ability and willingness to protect Soujiro was doubted. "Of course."

Saito nodded, not mocking for once. He glanced at the sleeping boy, an expression of tenderness crossed his face. "He must not return to Shishio's manor just yet. Take care of him."

Stunned by the solemn order, Aoshi could only nod. He admitted that he had doubted Saito's affection toward Soujiro, thinking that he only wanted to take pleasure from his body. But apparently Aoshi had thought wrong, he had missed Saito's affection for Soujiro, rarely displayed as it was. Saito cared for the boy as much as he did.

"I'll take care of Soujiro."

Saito turned to the younger man, assessing him. After a moment of silence his lips quirked into a tiny smirk. "Good." He said. For the first time, Aoshi sensed only gratefulness from him.

Saito entered the huge mansion without much difficulty. The enormous garden was predictably littered with unskilled guardsmen. He had little difficulty infiltrating them, drawing no suspicion in the process. He smirked darkly, perhaps he should consider telling their employer to hire better guards, preferably those with at least an ounce of skill. Perhaps later, when that man was at the brink of death.

The house was silent. Chou had informed him that the maids had mostly left soon after dusk, when the guards started to pour in, leaving his target alone, a perfect prey for the lone wolf. The broom head swordsman had told him that his target would be in the ballroom, a thoughtful choice considering the size of the room which would give said target some time to ask for help if his fear came true. But Saito was beyond fear, he was sheer terror. Not an ounce of concern even fleeted through him as he pushed the large double doors open, letting them slam against the pale wall.

But even a skilled swordsman such as he couldn't help but feel a little of his confidence slipping when he saw the Gatling gun poised readily to face him from the centre of the room. Kanryu Takeda stood behind it with a manic smile on his face, not unlike that of Jine's, looking victorious.

Saito paused for a moment, thinking that this was the perfect opportunity to have a drag of cigarette. But this wasn't time for idle smoking, this was a battle, this was war. As he settled into his familiar _Gatotsu_ stance, Soujiro's face flashed in his mind and he smiled briefly. A fraction of a second later, the seemingly endless sound of shooting sounded around the mansion.

TBC


End file.
